


The Other "Heroes"

by SirOliverSurface



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: After HOO but before TOA, Annabeth judo-flips people, Canon Breakups, Canon Relationships, Chiron has the patience of a saint, Different Dimension Travel, Emotional Manipulation, Everybody's feelings are hurt, F/F, F/M, Family Drama, Fighting Monsters, Fluff and Angst, Genderbent Demigods, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, Multi, Percy is even sassier as a woman, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, References to Ancient Roman Religion & Lore, Rick Riordan Demigod Universe | Riordanverse, Self-Loathing, Sexual Tension, The gods are trying, This idea came out of nowhere and refused to leave me alone, alternate fates, shared suffering
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-13 15:55:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 72,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29528811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SirOliverSurface/pseuds/SirOliverSurface
Summary: Percy Jackson had seen weird before.Swimming in the River Styx to gain invincibility to fight the Titan lord of time was "weird".Getting your memory wiped by the goddess of marriage and family in a gambit to unite Greek and Roman demigods was "weird".Having a spiritual attachment to blue food was... well... completely understandable, no matter how much Leo joked about it.But this? This is "weird".When a battle goes wrong, and magic goes wild, the son of Poseidon and Hero of Olympus finds himself dumped in a world that seems strangely familiar. The Greek Gods are still around, the old myths were really true, all seems well. But one thing has changed: the people he's come to love. And it doesn't take long for him to figure out that these new faces all miss someone else, too; Hero of Olympus, and daughter of Poseidon, Percie Jackson.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Calypso/Leo Valdez, Hazel Levesque/Frank Zhang, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace, Paul Blofis/Sally Jackson
Comments: 30
Kudos: 89
Collections: Heroes of Olympus





	1. The Day Percy Learned He Had A Boyfriend

**Author's Note:**

> Of all the things to write, it would be this mess. But, if I didn't, I'd never be able to get the idea out of my head. More tags are probably gonna be added as this work goes on, so keep an eye out for anything specific. In case you're curious about a timeline, this fic happens after the Heroes of Olympus series, but before the Trials of Apollo begin. I hope you have as much reading this thing as I did writing it.
> 
> Quick note: To keep things from getting too stretched out, I limited my genderbending to the demigods of the Riordanverse. No immortals, no parental figures. I'd forget about it at some point, which would just be confusing for everyone.

It was supposed to be a simple errand. 

"Run down to the market at the corner and pick up some wipes," his mom had asked, leaning against the kitchen counter. Her baby bump was so huge, it looked like it was peering over the edge of the counter to judge the distance for what would be a magnificent high-dive. 

Percy sighed to himself as he pictured her, smiling despite the awkwardness of her bulk. His sister was due in just a few weeks, which excited the demigod beyond all measure, but with the baby so close to being due, his mom just couldn't move around like she normally could. So he'd happily agreed. It was just a short walk down the block.

A short walk down the block that just happened to cross paths with a very angry-looking serpent lady.

Annabeth would have been proud of him. Instead of getting caught off-guard by a monster wearing some paper-thin disguise, he noticed the threat before she noticed him. She would have easily passed for just some silly street performer to the unwatchful eye, but Percy's experiences must have finally started to kick into gear, since he spotted the longer-than-usual nails poking out of the slinky dress she was wearing. Of course, just because he spotted her first didn't mean she couldn't see him back. In fact, that's just what happened, since he was still standing on the sidewalk in plain view when the woman turned her head to gaze his way.

Her eyes widened at the sight of him, only making it easier to see that her eyes glowed green with slits like those of a snake's. She dropped all pretenses of standing idle and began marching straight for the son of Poseidon, her nails seeming to grow longer until they poked fully out of her sleeves.

Percy scanned the street as she approached, cursing to himself. The New York neighborhood was a little crowded for his liking, no matter how much work the Mist might put into keeping the mortals ignorant. With the serpent woman only thirty feet away, he would have to settle for somewhere cramped, but private. With a wink at his pursuer, the demigod ducked into a side alley.

The smell that hit his nose immediately made him regret his decision, but there was no time to dash to a new location. He pushed further down the alley, leading him to a more secluded circle behind the apartment buildings he'd been next to when he first noticed the danger. Speaking of her, his newest fan was making her way down the alley now, with her hands extended to the walls next to her. From this point, Percy noticed that her hands were shriveled, and sported claws that would have made Mrs. O'Leary jealous. The hellhound could probably have eaten this snake woman like a cookie, but the alley they were now facing each other in would have been too small for her.

"Percy Jackson," the woman hissed, dragging her tongue along her lower jaw as she pronounced the final syllable. Doing so meant Percy got a good look at her teeth. They were all sharpened, like a crocodile's, which only further solidified her as Snake Lady in his mind. "We meet at last."

"Shame you couldn't wait until later today for it, though. I haven't even showered yet. You're seeing me still in my bed clothes," Percy mouthed off, pulling Riptide from his pocket and uncapping it with a pop of his thumb.

Despite a sword suddenly appearing in his hand, Snake Lady seemed indifferent to his joke. "It's not a big deal. I'll happily kill you, in spite of your shabbiness," she snapped, turning her hands so the palms were facing him. She didn't say anything else, which made it all the more surprising when it felt like Ares just plopped down from Olympus and roundhouse kicked him in the chest.

Percy went flying into a collection of trash cans, one of which ended up spilling old spaghetti all over his shoulders. That would take a lot of time to wash out.

"Guess... that means you're not in the mood for playful banter," he coughed, rising to his feet. Despite the bravado, his chest was throbbing, and Riptide felt shaky in his hand.

Snake Lady smirked. "No. Learned that lesson from my brother. Always kill first; make snarky one-lines later."

Her eyes seemed to shimmer, and Percy rolled forward, as the place where he had just been standing seemed to get body slammed by an invisible force. "You can only dodge for so long against someone like me, son of the sea," she hissed, swiping her claws in front of her.

Two dumpsters at opposite sides of the alley suddenly launched themselves at Percy, and would have crushed him if he hadn't raised his arms in time. He'd been focusing on the water tank positioned on the back of the building they were fighting next to, and with the motion, he ripped the liquid away towards him. The water formed a seal around him, and the dumpsters battered off it harmlessly.

"Talk about dirty fighting," Percy murmured, before sending his water shield spiraling towards his opponent. Snake Lady arched an eyebrow in defiance as the water came at her, and flipped a hand dismissively. The air around the water seemed to grow warm, and Percy's best line of offense evaporated into steam as Snake Lady heated the air around it.

"Clever, boy. But not good enough. I grow tired of this game," she snapped, bringing her clawed hands together into a pose. "Enough of this minor magic. When I'm done, there won't be a shred of you left." With that threat hanging in the air, she began chanting. Percy had been hanging around Camp Jupiter enough to recognize the language as Latin, but the words on their own were a mystery to him.

However, his lack of knowledge about Latin couldn't prevent him from, well, actually just attacking her while she got her spell ready. It was a trick that had worked well, more than it really should have. Hubris wasn't just the fatal flaw of many heroes; it could prove quite fatal to monsters as well. Like Snake Lady, who apparently had assumed that he would just stand there and wait while she cast her little spell of doom.

With strands of cold spaghetti still clinging to his upper torso, Percy launched himself at the sorceress, who seemed to be so wrapped up in her own greatness she had closed her eyes to focus on her spell. Somewhere Clarisse La Rue was shaking with fury at the stupidity of this snake wannabe, Percy thought, as he brought Riptide down in an arch aimed right at his enemy's head.

What Percy had not counted on, however, was that such a sword swing meant Riptide ended up passing right through whatever invisible magic Snake Lady had been using to smack him around the alley. Six inches from her head, a scaly purple light erupted as the sword came to a halt, mid-swing.

"What?" Percy managed to ask as the light came spilling out of the cut he'd made in the air. This got the attention of Snake Lady, who's serpentine eyes shot open at his exclamation.

"Quiet, toad! I'm trying t-.. what in the name of Chaos have you done?" she sputtered, her hands coming unclasped as the light enveloped both her and the son of Poseidon. "You moron! Do you have any idea what you've just done?"

As tempting as it was to mock the snake woman for her carelessness in spellcasting, the spiraling magic now completely surrounding them had Percy a tad too worried to take the bait. It was getting faster, and it took all of his strength to keep Riptide from being wretched away from his grasp. Even though the sword would eventually come back, losing it this close to a monster was a death sentence.

"Any idea what's happening right now?" he asked Snake Lady, who made the universal sign for 'My loathing for you knows no bounds' by narrowing her eyes at him and reaching out to strangle the demigod with her clawed hands.

She never got the chance to do so. A thunderous sound erupted in his ears, and a new force blew both of them back to the very ends of the purple spirals, now reaching Mach speeds. Try as he might, he couldn't keep hold of Riptide, and the sword flew out of his hand, up towards the top of the funnel. Across from him, Snake Lady looked both disgusted and horrified. A fair reaction, given the circumstances.

By now, the magic had seemingly reached its peak, then with one loud, high whistle... it was over.

The spirals vanished, the wind stopped, and the sound threatening his eardrums quieted. 

It took a few moments for the son of Poseidon to realize he'd squeezed his eyes shut. That was enough to make him slam them open again. There was no way he'd ever let anyone see him making the same mistake Snake Lady had made during their battle. The same Snake Lady who'd ridden the Tunnel of Magic Death with him. The same Snake Lady... who'd suddenly vanished.

Percy blinked. Then blinked again. It was no illusion. The sorceress was gone. As a matter of fact, New York City was gone. The alley they'd been scrapping in was now replaced by a familiar sight; the strawberry fields of Camp Half-Blood.

Despite the suddenness of the change in scenery, Percy breathed a quiet sigh of relief. The camp's magic border against monsters surely meant that Snake Lady must have gotten ejected from the magic tunnel before it dropped him off here. Why it chose to drop him off here was still a viable question, but one that could wait. His mother would definitely require an explanation for why a shopping trip down the street turned into a detour to camp, which honestly scared the demigod more than any wannabe snake witch ever could.

Still, Snake Lady could end up posing a real threat sometime down the road, and Annabeth had been relentless in her insistence that he familiarize himself with as much knowledge as he could about potential monsters they'd come across. It wasn't hard for the son of Poseidon to imagine her glaring at him with annoyance, letting out a harried breath as she lectured him about the dangers they could face whenever they weren't at either of the camps. Gods, he loved that woman.

So, he turned towards the camp, walking through the fields. If anyone could give him some info about the magic snake who had attacked him, it would probably be someone at the Hecate cabin, with Chiron as a backup plan. He must have ended up landing in the northern part of the fields, since the first thing he saw upon emerging from the treeline was the pegasus stables.

He must not have spent a lot of time riding the Tilt O' Magic of Fun (Despair), since the sun looked to be in the same position it was when he'd gotten accosted back in New York. As such, there didn't seem to be anyone cleaning out the stables. Chiron had mentioned getting a rotation started the last time he had visited camp, which Mr. D had been more than happy to agree to, but Percy recalled all of the cabin counselors wincing at that proclamation. Which, of course, only made Mr. D even more supportive of the idea.

Either said rotation must have been off this time of the afternoon, or Chiron was still asking for volunteers, because there wasn't a single soul at the stables. The pegasi didn't seem to mind being left to their own devices either way, if the amount of pleased neighing was anything to go by.

Things changed as he passed by the armory and the arena. It was still the off-season, so camp was mostly empty, but the few demigods he did see all gave him weird looks. He didn't recognize any of them, and with a start, realized he still had the spaghetti from the dumpster wrapped around him. In fact, thanks to the chaos of the magic twister, most of it was now looped in his hair. No wonder he was getting so many strange looks. Who'd imagine Percy Jackson would stumble into camp looking like the son of the flying spaghetti monster?

The thought was enough to make him pull the noodles out of his hair as he walked, which thankfully wasn't too much of a hassle, but the cold sauce staining his shirt would take a washing machine, at least. 

Percy bit his lip at the thought as he approached the Hecate cabin. He could only hope Lou Ellen wouldn't automatically assume the sauce was blood and go screaming for a doctor from the Apollo cabin before he could get a single word in. Or worse, try her own hand at healing him with one of her "experimental" spells. The last time she'd tried one of those, she'd turned Cecil Markowitz into a pair of handcuffs. The son of Hermes returned to normal after the spell wore off, but Percy heard from Will Solace that Cecil had shut himself away in the Hermes cabin for the next two days, refusing to come out until Lou Ellen issued a public apology.

That scandal was enough to bring a smile to Percy's eyes as he knocked on the door. The Hecate cabin seemed to buzz with magic, like someone was pondering on whether or not to answer, before it finally peeked open.

A young man peered at Percy from behind the door, which hid most of his body from sight. All Percy could make out was half of the boy's face, which was visible in the daylight. Like many children of Hecate, his hair was a dark shade of brown/black, and his eyes a similarly dark green. Percy didn't recognize him, which meant he must have been a new addition to the camp.

"Sorry if I disturbed you, friend. Just looking for Lou Ellen," the son of Poseidon said, brushing his hair back to try to keep the smell of old spaghetti from wafting into the cabin.

The boy blinked in confusion, with no answer.

"Lou Ellen. The head counselor of the Hecate cabin," Percy repeated, with more information for emphasis.

The door swung open fully, revealing the young man. He was dressed like most demigods at the camp; the signature orange shirt, plus a pair of dark blue pants. He stepped out of the cabin, an unreadable look in his eyes.

"I hate to break it to you, friend, but there's no one here named Lou Ellen, and she certainly isn't the head counselor of the Hecate cabin," he remarked, crossing his arms in a huff. "That role belongs to me. Name's Louis Blackstone, head counselor of Hecate."

"Huh?"

It was kind of a pathetic response to that kind of proclamation, but it was all Percy could muster at this news. How else was he supposed to react, upon being told someone he definitely knew existed wasn't around?

The son of Hecate frowned at Percy's lackluster answer, and shook his head disdainfully. "I don't know what sort of trick Cecelia thinks she's pulling by lying to you, but tell her to put a sock in it. I already apologized for that handcuff incident; no need to send some new guy over in an effort to make me look stupid."

If Percy's brain wasn't already spinning in circles, that last sentence put it on the world's fastest merry-go-round without a seatbelt. Cecelia? Handcuff incident? Apology? New guy? It was a case of having too many questions to ask at once, which sadly never seemed to result in any of them being answered. Which is exactly what happened. Louis turned on his heel, marched back into the cabin, and shut the door, leaving the rattled son of Poseidon alone.

It took several minutes for Percy to realize his jaw was hanging open, and close it. It took another minute for him to remember he had feet, and walk away from the cabins. The Big House. That was where he should go. Chiron would surely have some sort of answer. Or maybe this was a dream...

He felt a sudden weight pop in to his back pocket. Reaching down, he felt the familiar touch of Riptide. The sword's return was both a blessing and a curse. He had his weapon back, but the realness of it appearing like that proved he wasn't dreaming.

The Big House was familiar enough. Everything that was normally there was, and as bonus, Mr. D wasn't lounging on a chair on the porch. Percy wasn't in the mood to trade insults with the wine god. Not after having a shock like the one he'd had at the Hecate cabin.

He didn't even bother to knock, walking right on in. His mom would have been outraged at his lack of manners, but she wasn't here, so there was no need for her to know. Instead, he called out into the house.

"Chiron! It's Percy. Sorry to barge in on you like this, but I need to talk to you about something."

A moment later, the sound of horse hooves on hardwood floors sounded from around the corner near the main staircase. "Percie, as much as I appreciate you and your company, there comes a time to at least knock before you come barging in on someone without any sort of warning," the centaur remarked, before coming around the bend.

He was holding some papers up to his human torso, and upon seeing the demigod, almost dropped them, only catching them at the last moment.

"Oh! My apologies, dear boy. I thought you were someone else," Chiron bumbled, pressing his papers together and smoothing them out before placing them down on a small parlor table in the hallway. That done, he drew himself to his full height, offering a wide smile. "Welcome, my friend. I do apologize for my earlier rudeness, but I must insist that you knock before entering any buildings here. Never know what you may find."

The centaur chuckled at this, which was probably why he didn't seem to register the look of astonishment on the son of Poseidon's face. "No matter, no matter. You're new, so can't blame you for being ignorant of that suggestion. Now, I suppose we'd better get introductions out of the way. I'm-"

"I know exactly who you are, Chiron."

Percy's voice came out a lot harder than he had meant to, and his tone was enough to stop the immortal centaur's diatribe in its tracks.. 

"You're Chiron the centaur, trainer of several Greek heroes, most of them demigods. This is Camp Half-Blood, one of only two safe places in the world for modern demigods to live and train, the other being Camp Jupiter in San Francisco," Percy rattled off, now thoroughly freaked out. 

The centaur's expression became very guarded. "Yes, that is all correct. You are... remarkably well informed for someone I've never met before," he responded, his posture tensing up. "Yet, the very fact you're here proves you're neither a monster nor mortal."

"Because of the barrier around the camp. Only demigods, satyrs, and those invited can enter," Percy finished, his voice losing strength.

Chiron's expression hardened. "Right again. I'm not aware of anyone sent out to look for someone fitting your description, so I'd wager you weren't told all this beforehand. So, allow me to extend an olive branch: Who are you?"

When Percy answered, his voice was barely audible. "Percy Jackson. Son of Poseidon."

The room became very quiet. Almost... tranquil. Chiron didn't show any signs of having heard the demigod, but Percy knew he had. All too well.

"You're... Percy Jackson. A son of Poseidon..." the centaur trailed off, clearly at a loss for words. Percy could relate to that feeling now more than ever.

Before anything else could be said, a vicious pounding erupted on the door to the Big House, causing Percy to jump. Chiron seemed to struggle to rip his eyes away from the demigod long enough to look towards the door. "Who is it?"

"It's Alister," the voice answered, clearly caught between an angry sob and righteous determination.

Chiron furrowed his brow at this, before stepping close to Percy and leaning down to whisper in his ear. "Go into the kitchen. Stay out of sight. Only come out when I call for you," he instructed, but the tone of his voice indicated it was much more of an order.

Percy didn't have the willpower to disobey the command, and stepped into the kitchen, cracking the door behind him so he could follow the conversation. He heard Chiron compose himself before crossing to the door and opening it. Feisty footsteps, those of a demigod's, stormed inside the moment the door opened, and started pacing the parlor.

"She's gone. Vanished. No one's seen any sign of her since she left the mess hall," a new male voice said, the same one that had addressed itself as Alister.

Even though the voice was an unfamiliar one, Percy could swear there was something about that tone. Was it the composure, despite how stressed it was? Maybe the sense of urgency to it? Whatever it was, something about this unknown demigod felt like home to Percy.

Alister, meanwhile, continued to rant. "She was supposed to meet me at the stables. She said she'd cleaned out pegasi stables before, back when we were going through the labyrinth, and it would be easy enough to just wash them out with the water from Long Island Sound."

Chiron's voice was calm in response. "Easy, Mr. Chase. Percie can handle herself; we all know she's capable. Where did she say she was going?"

"She wanted to see Nicola and Willamina on their way to Camp Jupiter, and then would take some time to stop by her mom's place. She was only supposed to be gone for a few hours; it's been too long."

"Was she taking the car?"

"Yes, but you know her! Can't go three feet without running into some sort of monster from gods-know-where! The only place I can think of she'd willfully stop is the strawberry fields, if a craving hit her on the way back. But her car would have still been here if it had!"

A very cold fist began to form in Percy's stomach as he eavesdropped on the conversation. He might not have been a child of Athena, but even he could fit some of these pieces together without help.

Chiron, meanwhile, seemed to come to a resolution. "Alister, you're not alone in thinking something weird is going on with Percie."

The response was short and sweet. "You too?"

"Yes, but I fear the ramifications behind the answer I'm about to give. If it is true, it's something I've never seen before."

Alister sounded like iron when he spoke again. "Then lay it on me. We walked through Tartarus together; nothing could top that."

That fist turned into a volcano when Percy heard that last sentence. His suspicions, ever since running into Louis, were now confirmed. Despite the panic of his situation settling in, he could still hear Chiron's calm demeanor shining through.

"It would perhaps be best if I showed you. Mr. Jackson, would you please introduce yourself?" the centaur called into the kitchen.

Tartarus. It had been the worst experience of his life. He'd only come through it because Annabeth had been by his side. She'd pulled him from the river of sorrows when he'd been ready to give up. He'd slain Arachne before the Mother of Spiders could wreak her vengeance. They'd done it together. And now they were separated. Again. After he'd promised to never leave her; the promise made right before they both plunged into the pit. 

The memories racked him, but also filled the son of the oceans with a fervor. He'd get back to her. Hera as his witness, he would. Maybe the Styx would have made for a better promise, but he still hadn't forgiven the queen of the gods completely for ripping him away from Annabeth. If the Fates got crotchety with him, may as well get Hera in trouble too.

His mind and heart now made up, Percy stepped into the parlor. Chiron was in the middle of the room, his arms crossed on top of his equestrian back. His face was serene, despite the direness of the situation. Standing across from him was the person Percy could honestly say he'd never expected to meet. The demigod was about half an inch shorter than Percy, but his stormy gray eyes gave the impression that he towered over the son of Poseidon. A sword and dagger hung from his waist, in a cross-draw fashion. He was thin, but lean with muscle, giving him an aura of authority and compassion.

That Percy was expecting, but what he hadn't expected was the hair. It was a striking blonde, that dangled down and back from Alister's face. There wasn't enough of it to tie into a bun, so he wore it straight. Even so, the resemblance was beyond uncanny. This... in some twisted way, was Annabeth.

You could have heard a pin drop for several seconds as the two boys sized each other up. Alister's face didn't crack, but Percy could tell he was experiencing a version of the same phenomenon he was going through at the moment. Seemingly realizing that neither demigod could muster the words to speak, Chiron took the initiative. 

"Mr. Chase, this is Percy Jackson. Mr. Jackson. This is Alister Chase. I believe the two of you... know each other."


	2. The Day Percie Learned She Had A Girlfriend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One minute, she's strolling through the strawberry fields of Camp Half-Blood, wondering if there's any way she can convince Carson Gardiner to let her plant some blueberries on the side. The next, she's dropped into a world where none of her friends seem to be the people she remembers.

Hermes was going to be hearing from her. Or maybe it was one of the wind gods responsible for her current predicament. Either way, when Percie Jackson finally got her head back on her shoulders, someone was going to get it.

The daughter of Poseidon's day had been rather peaceful, up until the moment she got plucked out of the fields outside camp by some vortex of magic and unceremoniously dumped into a New York back alley. Some deity out there was definitely having a laugh at her expense.

Groaning, she pulled herself up to her knees, and immediatly found herself staring down at a mess on her shirt. Whatever magic that had abducted her from camp had apparently seen fit to drop her off right in the middle of a pile of trash. She'd landed on a garbage bag filled to the brim with moldy cottage cheese, and now was covered in the gunk from her neck to her waist.

"Why couldn't it have been spaghetti? Or even cake?" she shouted up to the sky, to no answer. The gods, like they usually did, ignored her. Fine. She could handle this herself; she'd done it before. Several times, as a matter of fact. With another groan, she rose to her feet, brushing off as much of the spoiled dairy product as she could muster.

Glancing up, she was treated to an even weirder sight. Her car, which she had parked right behind her there in the strawberry field, had also gotten caught up in the tornado. It had landed right smack in the middle of a small circular outlet in the alley, but luckily, didn't seem to take any serious damage in the fall. However, there was a new problem: The alleyway, which was her only way out of here, was too narrow for her to drive her car through without giving it some serious surface damage. She'd have to leave it here, until she found someone with a better head for getting out of tight spaces.

"Alister's gonna get a kick out of this. Well, after he's done lecturing me about getting kidnapped by mischievous spellcasters," she muttered to herself, walking to the end of the alley. Still, the thought of her boyfriend having a laugh at her expense was enough for the hero of Olympus to brighten a little. Alister had been so caught up in his architectural plans for Olympus, on top of the designs he'd been offered to oversee in New Rome, he'd barely had time to smile the past few months. 

When I get back, I'll see about getting him away from camp for a few days, Percie thought. The last time they'd really had to each other was.... Paris, actually, before that whole mess with Gaea and the giants resulted in her getting her brain wiped and tossed to Camp Jupiter.

With that plan in mind, Percie stepped onto the street, her trash-covered shirt not even drawing the attention of the passersby on the sidewalk. "Never change, New York," she grumbled, marching up the street. Whatever force had taken her here had apparently seen fit to drop her off just a few minutes away from her house, so that was stop one for her.

Aphrodite would never let her hear the end of it if she suggested time out with Alister while looking like she just had a wrestling match with a spoiled house salad.

Arriving at the apartment, she fished for her key in her back pocket. Her fingers brushed past Riptide as she did so, and the sword felt... off, somehow. Which was strange, since she'd been using it for almost five years now. Riptide was about as natural to Percie as breathing underwater. 

Dismissing the feeling as just her nerves being rattled by her unexpected abduction, she let herself in to the apartment. It was still early afternoon, so Paul would still be at his teaching job. A rattling in the kitchen meant her mom must have been doing some house-cleaning, and Percie briefly considered saying hi before deciding to shower first. Her mom would see the cottage cheese and immediatly demand an explanation. One that Percie did not have ready yet.

Her room still seemed to be in order, but after finishing her shower, Percie couldn't help noticing that her Camp-Half Blood shirt was... bigger than she remembered. Hers tended to fit snug, but still stayed comfortable. This one... went almost down to her mid-thighs. Percie had heard of clothes shrinking over time, but getting larger? Maybe her captor was really a god of pranks, and they still hadn't finished toying with the daughter of Poseidon.

With that unsettling thought in the back of her mind, Percie finished dressing, changing only her shirt, which got the worst of her literal dumpster dive. Heading back into the living room, she spotted her mother in the dining room, leaning over the table with a wet paper towel in her hand.

"Did you get the wipes without too much trouble?" her mom asked, not turning around.

"Wipes? The only one who really got wiped was me, if getting slammed into a garbage pile counts as being wiped out," Percie responded, trying to smooth out her over-sized camp shirt.

Sally whirled around at that statement, her baby bump looking like a fourth head of Cerberus as it swung around. The look in her mom's eyes immediatly set Percie on guard.

"Oh, great. What is it now?" Percie asked, putting a hand to Riptide in her pocket. "Wayward minor god? Rabid hellhound? That mailman who refuses to take the hint?"

Her mom's eyes got even bigger, and for a moment the daughter of Poseidon was worried she'd faint against the table. Fortunately, Sally Jackson was made of sterner stuff than that.

With one hand to steady herself, Sally gulped before speaking. "Um... is that you, Percy?" she asked, her tone beyond creeped out.

"Last time I checked, yes. Unless you know someone else running around with my dashing smile," Percie said, grinning. Then, not. "Oh, no. Is it another eidolon? Did I get possessed again without knowing about it?"

Sally slowly shook her head, lowering herself down into a chair at the table. Percie, not wanting to freak her mom out any more than she already had, sat down on the edge of the couch. "Dear... are you sure you're Percy?" her mom asked.

"Sure as I am that my dad is Poseidon. And that you're my mother," the demigod answered, not quite sure where this conversation was going.

"Okay. The next question is the big one: Are you aware that you're a woman?"

Percie was quiet for a moment, before it became obvious what was going on. "Oh, I get it! Someone's teamed up with you for a joke!" Percie giggled, her sides starting to wheeze. "Who was it? Janice, or maybe Lea? Ooh, I know! Willamina asked you to do it before she and Nicola left for New Rome. She's the only one of those two whose sense of humor is immature enough to pull that kind of stunt."

Despite the hilarity of the situation, her mom didn't seem to be laughing. In fact, the look on her meant she didn't find one single thing about this situation humorous. It was enough of a cold stare to stop Percie's laughter in its tracks.

"Answer the question, dear."

Sally wasn't joking. And if Sally wasn't joking, then what in the name of Elysium was going on?

"Um... as long as I can remember, I suppose. I've been Percie Jackson, daughter of Poseidon, all my life," the demigod answered, crossing her arms defensively.

Her mother's gaze didn't waver, but it did seem to flicker through several emotions before she spoke again. "I see. Then we seem to have another problem on our hands."

"Mom, what is going on? You look like you've seen a ghost ever since I walked in here."

Her mom paused before answering. "Because... I didn't have a daughter with Poseidon. I had a son."

It took a lot to surprise Percie Jackson. Five years ago, she would have said the same thing. How wrong she would have been. First, her math teacher turned into a monster. Then, her own mother got crushed by the Minotaur. She'd traveled to the Underworld multiple times, beheaded Medusa, gotten turned into a guinea pig, and even used public transportation. But none of that even came close to the surprise she felt when her mother said that.

"W-what?" was all she could muster.

"Exactly what I said. Poseidon and I had a son named Percy. I sent him out to run an errand for me only about half an hour ago."

"But... but..," Percie was at a loss. 

Sally sighed, one loaded with the sensation that she was sick of things like this happening. "I take it you would tell a different version of that story?"

"Yeah. The Poseidon part is right. Most of it seems right, too. Just the whole son part."

Her mom frowned, before pulling up to a standing position. "As much as it pains me to suggest this, I think you may need to go see someone at camp about this whole thing. They're better equipped than me to handle this."

Oh. Right. Camp-Half Blood. "There's just one little problem, Mom. Uh... the car is kinda stuck in an alleyway," Percie admitted, her cheeks flushing.

Sally arched an eyebrow at her daughter. "Oh? Then why can I see it from the window in the street?"

What? Percie leaned past her mother to look out the window in the dining room. Sure enough, the car was sitting in its usual spot on the street, looking none-the-worse-for-wear despite the wild ride it had taken.

"This day gets weirder by the minute," the demigod complained, as she headed for the door.

"Percie Jackson! Hold it, young lady!"

Her mom using her full name? That was never a good sign.

"Yes?"

Sally detoured into the kitchen, coming out with a plastic bag with a seal. Inside, there were four blue chocolate chip cookies. "I make it a rule to never let a guest leave without feeding them," she said, pressing the bag into Percie's hand.

They were the exact same as they always were. Everything seemed so right... so why was it all so wrong as well?

Percie couldn't find the words for a moment, before looking back up at her mother. "Thanks, mom. For what it's worth, I'll see if I can find a way to bring your son back to you."

The words felt bizarre coming out of her mouth, but Percie meant them. Sally's eyes teared up at the response, and nodded, motioning to the door.

With a final thank you, the daughter of Poseidon left in the car, heading for Camp-Half Blood. The drive took about an hour and a half, thanks to the New York traffic, which gave Percie plenty of time to think about her situation.

The bigger-than-it-should-be shirt she was currently wearing was the most important clue to this puzzle. If Sally Jackson really did have a son, it would make sense that his shirt wouldn't really fit on her. She'd had similar experiences whenever she would mess with Alister by wearing his clothes. Why didn't she notice the similarity then?

If it was all true, and it seemed like it was, where did she fit into this? Maybe that little magic twister of surprise had done more than just drop her off in New York. But what had caused it? And why did it only seem to affect her?

Her head was so clouded with thoughts, it took a moment for her to register that she was now driving along the stretch of road that veered away from the city and towards camp. It wasn't a very busy section of highway, but Percie noticed it looked even more deserted than it usually did. That could only mean one thing.

Percie's suspicions were confirmed when a thunking sound came from the top of her car. Great. That better not have put a dent in the roof. Paul would kill her.

Sighing in frustration, the daughter of Poseidon slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a screeching halt. Her uninvited guest apparently hadn't made sure their grip on the car was strong, since the sudden stop sent them propelling forward along the road. A flash of donkey fur and bronze confirmed exactly what it was that had ambushed her.

Percie took her time getting out of the car and uncapping Riptide, enough so the empousa was able to struggle to her feet after eating some serious pavement.

"Jaywalking like that is worthy of a serious citation, madam," Percie commented, taking a few free swipes at the air to warm up her arm. "If I wanted to pick up hitchhikers, I would have let Lea install that crane arm on the side."

Her would-be attacker turned around in confusion at the sound of her voice, and Percie instantly realized who just tried to blitz her.

"Kelli."

The cheerleader growled in a mixture of hatred and frustration as she climbed to her feet, her fangs glistening in the dimming sunlight. "Since when has Jackson taken to letting little girls drive his car?" the creature spat, her claws curling into fists.

Another reference to this male Percy, perhaps? If he'd managed to piss off Kelli, Percie decided she was definitely a fan of him.

"Percy had better things to do than cater to your little revenge plot. Lucky for me, since it means I get to kill you for... what is it now? The third time?"

The empousa snarled at her, but didn't spring into an attack. "I have no idea who you are, girl. I usually don't kill mortal women, but there's something about you I despise. Guess I can make an exception just this once."

How could Kelli not remember her? That was the biggest insult the empousa could have possibly delivered, and she didn't even mean to! "What do you mean, pointy teeth? Last time I saw you, Bob turned you into a pancake back in Tartarus. How was reforming from that, by the way?"

The empousa's hair burst into flame at Percie's mockery of her, and she lunged, claws outstretched. If she'd connected, the daughter of Poseidon would have been a goner. Shame she didn't even get close.

The emotional attack left Kelli almost woefully exposed to counterattack, which Percie had been counting on. It was something she and Alister had made a habit of doing. If the egos of the gods were fragile, nothing compared to the egos of monsters. Well, the ones without much common sense, anyway.

Kelli's charge was all too easy for Percie to just duck under, and with Riptide in hand, striking upwards was a simple task. The empousa let out a strangled gasp of horror as she crumbled into dust, leaving Percie alone once again.

"Have fun explaining that one to all your friends in the pit," the demigod taunted the remains as she recapped Riptide. 

With that little distraction dealt with, Percie returned to her drive. Kelli's interruption aside, the rest of the way was uneventful, though it did give the daughter of the ocean more to think about. If Kelli had been looking for this Percy Jackson, and didn't even recognize her old nemesis... great snakes of gorgon. The possible answers were dwindling, and Percie could safely say she didn't like any of them. 

Upon her arrival at camp, her fears seemed to be confirmed. Everything was as she expected it to be, in regards to the buildings and the locations. However, the few demigods she did see she didn't recognize, though some of them felt very familiar. The Big House was in the middle of some sort of hullabaloo, with an number of demigods all crowded around Chiron. The centaur looked desperate for someone to save him from his teenage assailants, but once Percie had approached, the whole crowd went silent.

It was easy for her to push her way up to the front, where Chiron waited expectantly. Percie could only make out a few scattered whispers amongst the demigods, but the ones she did catch included phrases like "disappearance" and "change". On reaching the centaur, she put one hand to her hip, trying to assume a confident posture. 

"I take I'm expected?" she asked.

Chiron nodded, keeping his cool. "Yes. Ms. Jackson sent an Iris message after you left telling us to expect you."

This prompted another menagerie of whispers to break out, before Chiron raised his hand. "Please. If I could have everyone except the counselors clear out, we can try to figure out what's going on."

The announcement was met with by a number of disappointed complaints, but was obeyed, leaving Percie alone with the centaur and a few other demigods, one of whom looked absolutely fascinated by the daughter of Poseidon.

"Amazing. I wonder if it's really him, or someone else," the young girl wondered aloud, earning her a few hard glances from her compatriots.

"Lou Ellen, keep your voice down!" a big brute of a demigod chastised, and Percie was struck by how he looked just like a male version of Shannon Yang. The daughter of Ares would have been ecstatic by the idea of having a brother around, since none of the other demigods at camp could be talked into sparring with her more than once.

Chiron cleared his throat, stopping the potential argument before it could escalate further. "Peace. We're still waiting for one more person before we can settle this properly," the centaur mused, before his eyes darted up to the sky. "Ah. I believe that is her now."

Percie, with all the other demigods, followed his gaze, and were met with the silhouette of a pegasus being ridden by a woman. As the rider and winged horse neared, Percie suddenly had an epiphany.

"Is that Blackjack?" she said aloud as the pegasus descended to the ground in front of the house. His rider, a blonde demigod with gray eyes, dismounted and marched straight for Chiron, ignoring everyone else.

The others cleared out of her way, but Percie was still focused on the pegasus, and approached him. 

Blackjack eyed her with a suspicious look before speaking. "Why do I get the feeling I know you?"

"Probably because we do know each other, just in a really strange way," she responded, earning a surprised look from the pegasus.

"You can understand me, boss? If that's the case, mind if I ask if you brought any donuts with you? Annabeth refused to stop for anything the moment she got that Iris message about Percy vanishing, and I'm famished!"

"Annabeth, huh? I take it she's the one you were giving the ride to."

"Yep. Got to fly all the way up to Olympus for that one. She's been put in charge of redesigning it after Kronos tried to destroy the gods last year. Real mess, that was."

Percie's heart sank as Blackjack confirmed what she had been beginning to suspect ever since running into Kelli. She sighed, pulling out the one remaining cookie she hadn't eaten on the drive to camp.

"Don't have any donuts, buddy. Will a cookie work?"

Blackjack thought it over before neighing in affirmation, which Percie was happy enough to oblige. However, upon turning back to the group, she found all of them staring at her in a mix of awe and shock.

"You... can speak to pegasi, miss?" Lou Ellen asked, hands clasped together in a nervous gesture.

Even Chiron and Annabeth looked paled by the revelation. "Yes. I can. Being a daughter of Poseidon does have it's share of useful perks," Percie responded.

The demigods all shared a nervous look for a moment before Annabeth stomped towards Percie. The blonde hair, the gray eyes, the determination... yep. This was exactly who Percie had been scared of running into.

"Hi. You must be-" the daughter of Poseidon tried to say, before suddenly ending up on her back with a thud.

Above her, the daughter of Athena maintained a tight hold on Percie's right arm, which she had just used as leverage to judo flip the daughter of the sea right over her shoulder. It was unexpected. It was strong. It was... the exact same thing Alister had done to her when they had reunited at Camp Jupiter for the first time.

"If you ever leave me again," he had said through tears. Percie had laughed then, but she still felt guilty about that whole mess, even if most of the fault didn't lie with her. She'd promised to never abandon him like that again. She'd kept it, even if it meant falling into Tartarus. But now... it had happened again.

"Who are you? Where is he?" Annabeth demanded, startling Percie out of her memories. Even with her face pressed down into the dirt, Percie recognized the pain in Annabeth's voice. It was him, all right.

"One thing at a time... Wise Girl," Percie said, twisting around to look Annabeth in the face.

The child of Athena's eyes went wide. "S-Seaweed Brain?"

Percie slowly shook her head. "Not quite. There's been... a mix-up."

Annabeth gently released her death grip on Percie's arm, allowing the daughter of Poseidon to climb to her feet. When she did, she faced the group together, now looking completely thrown for a loop.

"Guess we all have a lot to talk about. But first: Food. I'm starving."


	3. A Hare, Lost Amongst A Sea Of Rabbits

"Let me see if I have this right."

Alister was leaning across the table at Percy, his grey eyes boring into the son of Poseidon's pupils. The two demigods were seated at the table on the back porch of the Big House, alone. Percy had told his story multiple times by now: the assault of Kronos on Olympus, the rise of Gaea, the Seven, the camps, and the sorceress he had been fighting when everything went wrong. Chiron seemed to have gotten the gist of it after the first telling, and retreated back inside to think on their circumstances.

The son of Athena hadn't been quite so accommodating. By now, Percy had repeated every event of the past five years eight times, adding as many details as he could remember. Alister's face had gone from disbelief, to anger, to depression, to sympathy, and finally landed on exasperation. The last of which could be used to sum up Percy's life.

"You're Percy Jackson, a son of Poseidon. At sixteen, you completed the First Great Prophecy first given by the Oracle more than seventy years ago. Olympus was preserved, and you rejected immortality in an effort to correct the mistakes of the past, so no one could ever manipulate demigods the way Kronos had. Not a year later, Hera erased your memory and sent you to Camp Jupiter, when the Prophecy of the Seven was set in motion. You, and six others, defeated Gaea and her giants, breaching the gap that existed between the Greek and Roman camps by arranging for the Athenian Parthenos to be returned to Camp Half-Blood. All was well, until some sorceress had a spell go wrong, sending you to this world, where all unfolded the exact same way, save for one crucial detail: The genders of all demigods, involved or otherwise, seem to be the inverse of what they were in your world."

It sounded crazy when you put it like that. But crazy was something Percy had sadly grown accustomed to.

"Essentially, yes. Everything you guys went through, we did too. The faces were just different," Percy confirmed.

Alister had his hands on the table, from having leaned over to absorb as much of the conversation as he could. Now, Percy could see they were visibly shaking. Out of what, he couldn't tell you. But the son of Athena looked incredulous at the idea of what they were now forced to come to terms with.

"And whatever magic ripped you away from your world, you think did the same to my- to our Percie," Alister finished.

"I believe so. The sudden disappearance you described... it sounds exactly like the sort of thing Annabeth would say about mine," the son of Poseidon said.

The son of Athena buried his face in his arms, his hands running back and forth through his hair. If this was Annabeth, he would have pulled her into him, and tried to reassure her. But doing it now felt... odd. Technically speaking, this both was and wasn't Annabeth in front of him.

Suddenly, Alister rose to his feet, turning his back to Percy to look over the camp. It was hard to see thanks to the light, but Percy would have sworn the demigod was blinking away tears.

"Malakas!" the son of Athena cried out, putting a hand to his mouth. He launched into another tirade of Ancient Greek curses, at least half of which involved saying some very insulting things about Zeus's mother. Percy would have been proud, if he wasn't anxiously glancing up at the sky, waiting for a lighting bolt to fry Alister where he stood. Nothing came. 

Alister seemed to realize the same, and let out a grim chuckle. "Guess my mother still has the honor of being one of Zeus's favorites," he remarked. The sky, despite being clear, thundered overhead, which only made Alister make a rude gesture towards it. "You heard me!"

"Umm. Alister. Maybe we shouldn't antagonize Zeus right now, especially if the magic involved in fixing this mess includes any sort of flying," Percy cautioned.

The son of Athena looked like he wanted to argue, but bit his tongue, throwing one more accusatory glare at the sky before sitting back down. "Since when were you the rational one?" he asked.

"One of us has to be," Percy shot back, which made Alister chuckle again. A real one, this time. Not one loaded with anger. The sound was a pleasant one, just like whenever Annabeth genuinely smiled. "So, what are the odds Chiron's made any leeway while we're out here?"

"Oh, he can make plenty of leeway. The real question is whether or not that leeway is going to actually be helpful, or send us on some errant quest to track down some ancient, forgotten magic that's really just gonna try to kill us as soon as we find it."

"Spoken like a man familiar with the system," Percy cracked, prompting another spout of laughter from the two boys. However, a part of Alister's statement gave Percy pause. "Wait, send us on a quest?"

Alister rolled his eyes. "Of course, Seaweed Brain. You didn't think I was just gonna let you run off to fix this yourself, did you? Doing something yourself is what got us in this mess in the first place."

It was... oddly comforting, hearing Annabeth's affectionate nickname for him come out of Alister. Privately, Percy had found it impossible to listen to it coming from anyone but her. Yet, Alister's saying it didn't sting. At all.

"Then after you, Wise Guy," Percy said, standing and motioning that he'd follow the son of Athena back into the house. Something flashed across Alister's eyes, but he didn't say anything, and headed back inside, with the son of Poseidon on his tail.

The Big House was a cacophony of noise as soon as they both stepped in. The sound of multiple people, all trying to talk over an Iris message at once, was enough to make Percy want to go back outside and insult Zeus some more.

"Guess it's time to see if I was right or not," Alister sneered, leading Percy to the main floor of the house.

Chiron was in his wheelchair, sitting in the middle of five different Iris messages. The centaur was nodding and shaking his head at the same time, which couldn't have been very determinant for the folks on the other end.

"I will not pretend to be well-versed in this kind of magic, ma'am, but if anyone could offer some insight as to how to correct this, I believe she would be our best bet," Chiron said into one. The other end, which appeared to consist of a skunk, growled in response, to which Chiron shook his head again. "Gale, if it bothers you so much, you must tell her. I can't imagine Hecate would be excited to have some wild sorceress running around, ripping apart the fabric of space."

The skunk squeaked in affirmation, and signed off. Chiron sighed, before turning back to the others. 

"Now that that's taken care of, on to the other concerns."

Alister leaned over, to whisper in Percy's ear. "Let's hope Hecate can keep her mouth shut about this, at least until we know what we're dealing with. I'm not looking forward to explaining to Poseidon how I lost his daughter... again."

By the time Alister had finished whispering, Chiron was wrapping up his other Iris messages. Once the final one was finished, the centaur groaned, before noticing the demigods standing in the entrance to the room.

"Gentlemen. How much of that did you hear?"

"Only the juicy bits, I promise," Percy assured him, and he heard Alister face-palm himself behind him.

The centaur tried to smile, but the stress of having that many conversations at once clearly had taken its toll on him. "At least the spark wasn't lost in this... exchange," Chiron mentioned to Alister, who somehow managed to both smile and frown at the same time in response.

"Did anyone have any suggestions? Outside of the one that I heard come from the Hunters," the son of Athena said, changing the subject.

'The Hunters?" Percy asked. "What did they say?"

"Something about letting you sink or swim, I really wasn't paying much attention once I realized who it was," Alister said. "Shame they let their hatred of men completely cloud the fact that Percie is in trouble, too, if we can't fix this."

"The Hunters might be unsympathetic, but I doubt the same could be said for Artemis, herself," Chiron noted. "She did hold up the sky for you, Alister," the centaur reminded him.

The son of Athena's hand went to his shoulder, rubbing at the memory of the old pain. Percy remembered that same sensation; it wasn't one he was keen to repeat.

"We heard you talking to Gale about Hecate, too. Surely she could shed some light on this," Percy suggested.

"Yes, but Hecate will not interfere until she knows exactly what she's dealing with. The goddess of magic is rightfully conservative when it comes to poking around with unstable magic she doesn't fully understand," Chiron explained.

Percy furrowed his brow. "So, Hecate is on standby, and the Hunters are ignoring us. Anything else?"

The centaur paused, then nodded. "Yes, but it's less of a solution, and more of a request."

"I knew it," Alister said behind him.

"Easy, Alister. It didn't come from who you think. The request came from Rey, at New Rome."

Alister bit the inside of his cheek. "I see. And what does the praetor need?"

"He, along with the rest of the Seven, would like to speak with... the new Percy."

Percy blinked. "Are they all in New Rome right now?"

"Not all. Peter's in Malibu with his father, and Janice is attending the Edgarton Day and Boarding School for Girls, but Rey, Lea, Faith, and Hayden are aware that the Percie they know isn't around right now."

"Do Peter and Janice know?" Alister asked.

"No. You'll have to fill them in yourselves."

Percy huffed at the idea of telling his story again, earning a reprising look from Alister. "Okay, we can do that," the son of Poseidon acquiesced.

"Excellent," Chiron concluded. "Take the chariot from the Ares cabin. I'll make sure Shannon doesn't try to blow either of you up."

"And are we ever so grateful for it," Alister remarked, heading for the door. Before he could make it, Chiron wheeled in front of him. 

"One more thing. Rey mentioned that Thomas is going to be in New Rome in the next few days. You're going to want to keep him... away from Peter, yes?"

Alister sucked in his cheeks. "Yikes, I forgot about that."

Percy snickered. "Did you just admit to forgetting about something?"

"Shut up, Jackson."

The two demigods met back up at the stables, where Alister was putting the finishing touches on the war chariot. Shannon had to be talked down at length by Chiron when she learned the son of Athena and the new guy were going to be leaving with it, but ultimately stood down. "Get so much as a scratch on it, though, and I'll rip your ears off, lanky," the daughter of Ares had said to Percy as he passed her.

"Sherman would be proud," Percy muttered as he watched Alister ready the chariot. The son of Athena had changed into a windbreaker, and was being quite diligent about the harnesses as he readied the pegasi.

"They say their names are Calico and Shortstop," Percy translated when the two winged horses started neighing into their bridles.

Alister paused for a moment. "Ah. Of course you can speak to them. Percie could too; I don't know why I'm surprised by that."

They were ready in the next few minutes, with the chariot pointed in the direction of California. Alister stood at the reins, and glanced back at Percy expectedly. It was in that moment the real weight of what they were about to do sank in.

"Ummm... I also really don't fly very well," Percy explained.

Alister only smirked at this news. "If you're anything like my Percie, you'll manage. Hop on."

That was how Percy found himself holding tight to the waist of the son of Athena, screaming in terror as the chariot soared into the sky. It was hard to hear over the sound of the wind and his own wails of horror, but Percy would have sworn Alister laughed the whole way into the sky. Calico, too, though Shortstop did speak up on his behalf.

Once they reached their cruising altitude, the ride became a lot less scary. The wind died down, which meant the chariot wasn't rattling like it was about to come apart. "You can let go of my waist now," Alister told him.

The son of Poseidon hadn't realized he was still clutching to his pilot, and sheepishly let go. His face must have been a cherry shade of red, because Alister broke into another fit of guffaws when he turned back to look.

"Guess we found one difference between you and Percie. Percie isn't so easily embarrassed," Alister observed, turning back to the open sky.

Their flight continued for about an hour or so in silence, before Percy's nervousness manifested enough for him to ask about something. "So, you're really not worried that Zeus will blast us out of the sky now that we're pretty much in his backyard?"

Alister turned one defiant eye to the clouds before speaking. "I'm sure he'd love to, but then he'd have to explain to both Athena and Poseidon why he turned two of their biggest heroes into paste. I don't think petty insults would be good enough justification for it."

The sky started rumbling again, but because of how close they were, it made the threat seem much more real. Alister scoffed aloud at it. "Plus, he'd have to find a new architect for Olympus, and good luck explaining to Aphrodite and Demeter why he obliterated such a talent in that field."

That proclamation was enough to make the sky go completely silent, and Alister smirked.

Percy was amazed at the boldness he was witnessing. Alister was right here in the sky, and just got away with smack-talking Zeus to his face. No wonder Percie fell in love with him.

"So, Chiron mentioned Thomas. May I ask who that is?"

Alister blinked. "Oh, right. If I got everyone in your world right, Thomas would be Thalia, Zeus's kid."

"So the daughter of Zeus was a son of Zeus for you guys?"

"Correct."

A thought occurred to Percy. "But Thalia joined the Hunters when she was fifteen. If she was Thomas here... what was he up to the past few years?"

Alister winced. "When we rescued Artemis from Atlas, the gods judged whether Percie and Thomas should be allowed to live, to fulfill the Prophecy. Percie had the protection of several of the gods, but Thomas wasn't quite so well received. The only reason he wasn't blasted right then and there was because Zeus and Poseidon both put their foot down."

"My dad, too?"

"Yes. It would have been hypocritical of him to support Percie, and not support her friend. At least, that's how he explained himself to Percie later."

Poseidon would have stuck his neck out for not just his daughter, but his daughter's friends? Would his father have done that? Percy didn't know, and a part of him was scared to ask.

"With Thomas allowed to live, the question was whether or not he was the child of prophecy. His life, therefore, was part of a compromise."

"A compromise?"

"He would be allowed to live, but until the prophecy came to an end, he was to stay in the Lotus Hotel."

Percy's heart sank. "What? They... forced him there?"

"Yes. Once Kronos was defeated, Percie was allowed to retrieve him. He was head counselor of the Zeus cabin for a while, but when the two camps came together, he made it a habit to be one of the primary ambassadors between them."

Percy nodded along, then frowned. "What if Percie hadn't been the child of the prophecy, either? Would he still be in the Lotus Hotel?"

Alister fumed. "Most likely."

A new alarm sounded in Percy's head. "Oh. I get why Chiron asked us to keep him away from Peter, then."

The son of Athena looked pained. "Yes, you've got it."

The locations of Peter and Janice had given it away. Peter was this world's version of Piper, and Janice was Jason's counterpart. He knew they had broken up, and neither one was really happy about it, but that was all Piper had been willing to divulge. 

"Thomas probably won't be happy about Peter breaking up with his sister, huh?"

Alister only shook his head.

"Yeah, I figured."

The two of them flown on in silence. Percy's day had started out weird, and only gotten weirder as it went on. Now, on the back of a war chariot, he was heading to California, to meet up with some old friends who weren't the people he remembered. If anything could be said about all this, at least he wasn't heading to Camp Jupiter alone this time. He had Alister. And if Alister was half the hero Annabeth was, they'd be just fine.


	4. Alone, But Not In Solitude

At least the camp's menu hadn't changed.

Sure, Percie may have had numerous pairs of eyes watching her in fascination, but it was going to take more than extra attention to get her to put down the burger Aello the harpy had managed to whip up once the group had moved to the mess hall. Apparently a female Percy Jackson was just another day for Aello and her sisters, since the former hadn't even blinked when Percie had shown up. Or she just hadn't noticed. You could never tell with harpies.

Percie seemed to be the only one with any sort of appetite, however. The rest of the demigods all glumly sat around her, in the only real defiance of the "cabins must sit in accordance with each other" rule Percie had seen herself. Granted, she'd heard about the stunt Willamina pulled so Nicola could sit with her at the Apollo table, but that was just one person. Every head counselor was crowded around the Poseidon table, with their attention squarely focused on the newcomer.

They wouldn't have to wait long. The daughter of Poseidon ravaged her plate in record time. (She was so bragging to Janice about that the next chance she had. Assuming there would be a next time, of course.) Satisfied, Percie turned her focus to the real problem.

"So, guess you guys wanna hear it, huh?"

Thus, the tale was told. The prophecies, the Seven, the strange magic tornado, and everything in between. Except for whatever happened in Albania. Nicola and Rey refused to elaborate when she had asked about it. The daughter of Hades had just about melted into shadow when Percie had brought it up. Fine. They could keep their secrets.

When it was over, no one looked thrilled. A fair reaction. As exciting as it was, Percie couldn't say she appreciated being one of the main players in this story.

Annabeth, who had been just about attached to her hip ever since the judo demonstration on the lawn, spoke up first. "So... it all happened twice. Once for us, and once for you. Just... with the change in chromosomes."

"You got it, Wise Girl," Percie nodded, provoking a curled lip from the daughter of Athena. "What? Does your Percy not call you that?"

Annabeth bit her lip, presumably holding back a curse. "He- he does, but... he's the only one who can get away with it."

The daughter of Poseidon shrugged. "Fair enough. But I'm gonna have to remove Seaweed Brain from your vocabulary if that's your decision."

"What?"

"Alister calls me that. No one else," Percie said, dropping her voice to abolish any pretense of a joke. "Unless, you're willing to put Wise Girl back on the menu."

If looks could kill, Annabeth's would have made for a decent attempt. But Percie had faced looks that genuinely could kill, and still came out on top. This was child's play.

The two women maintained some serious eye contact for several seconds, before Clovis, counselor of the Hypnos cabin, ended up letting out a snore that could have blown the top off of the Senate building in New Rome. The tense moment shattered into bemused awkwardness, which allowed Chiron to speak.

"Well, Percie, considering how much information you've provided us, I can safely this is the strangest thing I've seen happen in at least four decades," the centaur noted.

Annabeth and Percie looked at him in unison.

"Just... four decades?" Annabeth asked, fear in her voice.

"Yes. The sixties were... something else."

Images of Apollo in bell-bottom pants flashed through Percie's head, which easily ranked on the top ten list of things she never wanted to think about ever again. Right above her mother being held hostage by Titans, and right below the time Faith had accidentally turned into a mare at the pegasus stables. During mating season.

"Sounds like a tale we don't have time to hear, Chiron," Cecil Markowitz said, moving them back on track.

"Yes, yes. Regardless, we lack the necessary means to go about solving this dilemma on our own. Therefore, it is my assertion that we must reach out to those who can," Chiron finished.

Percie arched an eyebrow. "Okay, but who could hold the answers to something like this? We have no idea who even cast this sort of spell, let alone if it's reversible."

Lou Ellen pulled at her hair. "My mother could probably hazard a guess, but she's just as likely to tell us to figure it out ourselves. She was never fond of doing things the easy way."

Hecate could be a help, but only if she was in the right mood. The goddess of magic did create one of the monsters that had tried to murder Percie just earlier today. Her assistance would be about as reliable as a coin-toss.

Percie was beginning to consider just that, actually, when someone else spoke up: Damien White, the counselor of the Nemesis cabin.

"Why don't we just ask Rachel?" he put forth.

Annabeth's nostrils flared. "Because the last thing we need right now is another prophecy. We just barely made it through the last two!"

"No said anything about a prophecy, Annabeth. Just ask her about it. We have access to the Oracle of Delphi; we'd be morons to not put that connection to use!" he argued.

The last part of the conversation went over Percie's head, until the son of Nemesis mentioned the Oracle.

"Oh... Rachel is your Oracle here. That makes sense," she said without thinking.

That got everyone's attention again. "Wait... she isn't in yours? I thought it was just the demigods that were different," Clovis mumbled in his sleep. How did he do that?

Ignoring the son of Hypnos and his oddities, Percie nodded. "Yeah. Our Oracle of Delphi is River. Red hair, saw through the Mist without a problem, really deadly with a hairbrush... sound familiar?"

Miranda Gardiner of the Demeter cabin's jaw dropped. "That's Rachel, all right. But how on earth could the Oracle be male? The Hunters didn't change."

"Everybody in our world was shocked, too. It was originally Hades' idea. Since he was the one who cursed the last Oracle, he put forth the idea that the next one should be as opposite to the previous one as possible. River jumped at the chance, though I'm certain at least half of his decision was based on the fact that it would finally get Apollo to stop hitting on him."

Everyone else made a face. "Apollo... with Rachel?" Annabeth choked, her face turning green.

"Now I need a bath," Lou Ellen moaned.

"Ditto," Damien seconded.

Chiron looked disturbed as well, but recovered first. "As dangerous as it could be, I fear Damien's suggestion seems like the most effective one. Rachel could shed some light on this without having to involve any of the gods."

Annabeth furrowed her brow at the centaur. "So, we're not telling them?"

"Not telling us what?" an all-too familiar voice asked from across the mess hall.

Percie ground her teeth together as she turned to face Dionysus. The god of wine was leaning up against one of the pillars in the corner of the hall, a look of utter boredom etched on his face. That look was eternal, just like the ghastly leopard-striped pattern on the shirt he was wearing.

Suddenly, most of the demigods at the table found something fascinating about their shoes, or the floor, or under the table. The only ones who didn't bother trying to hide anything were Chiron, Percie, and Annabeth.

"Mr. D. I didn't know you'd be back so soon," the centaur greeted, his face betraying no concern.

The god rolled his eyes. "Neither did I. I know Scrabble usually doesn't last very long when Athena is playing, but Hermes is completely convinced she's rigging the bag in her favor. How else could she spell serendipity with only nine pieces in front of her?"

Annabeth grunted at the accusation, but didn't challenge it vocally. Percie had no such filter.

"Maybe you just miscounted," the daughter of Poseidon said, spinning in her seat so she could face the camp director directly.

Dionysus only narrowed his eyes at her. "That argument might be effective if I was inebriated, madam, but I've been sober longer than you've been alive. Not of my own choice, of course, but the point still stands."

"Oh, right. The whole nypmh fiasco. I forget, what did she have that Ariadne didn't?" Percie asked innocently.

That did it. Mr. D's eye actually twitched at that remark about his wife on Olympus. "A brain, something you are clearly lacking by taking that tone with me," the god sneered, striding into the hall.

The daughter of the sea blinked in an exaggerated tone. "Oh, was that off-limits? Sorry. I'm new, but you really can't blame me, you know. How am I supposed to know the rules if the camp director is too busy losing at board games to be bothered doing his job?"

Her insults weren't as creative as Alister's, but oh boy, were they just as effective. The wine god actually looked like he might just ignore Zeus's rule about not using his powers and turn the demigod into crushed grapes, but even Olympians knew better than to push their luck like that. A fact Percie exploited numerous times.

"You... are quite possibly the most annoying little hero I've ever had the displeasure of meeting," Dionysus hissed, a cup of Diet Coke suddenly appearing in his hand. "What's your name, loose lips?"

She wanted, more than anything, to say Percie Jackson, and watch as Mr. D lost his mind again, but she remembered Chiron's idea to keep the hero-swap a secret for now. At least from the gods. So, she had to improvise.

"Ophelia Castle," she made up on the spot. Nice. No one would ever suspect a daughter of Poseidon would be named after a character famous for drowning.

"Okay, Oria Palace," the god responded, nonchalantly sipping his Diet Coke. Great. Even in this world, the wine god liked messing up people's names for fun. How was she supposed to enjoy her inside joke if he didn't call her Ophelia?

"She hasn't been claimed by anyone yet," Annabeth offered, finally speaking up after watching Percie square off with the camp director in bafflement. "Just got here about an hour ago, actually."

"Would have been two hours, but I got delayed by some reckless empousa suffering from a case of mistaken identity," Percie helpfully added.

Dionysus didn't look impressed by the boast. "Glad to see you made it without being injured," he replied, his tone implying the exact opposite. "I take it you're all here waiting for her to be claimed?"

All the other demigods nodded, without speaking. Mr. D shrugged. "Fine. I'll make myself scarce. The last thing I want to know is who I'll have to apologize to for accidentally turning their daughter into a grapevine in forty years."

The camp director trudged off towards the amphitheater, but no one dared say anything until they were sure he was out of earshot.

Everyone stared at the daughter of Poseidon in wonder as they waited. She'd just openly insulted a god to his face, and even brought up his freaking wife! And she wasn't dead!

"He'll get over it. I'll bring him some Diet Coke, and he'll forget why he was so mad," Percie dismissed, turning back to everyone else. "So, the Oracle?"

Chiron actually smiled, for the first time since she'd arrived. "Yes. She lives here in the New York area, just like your River, I'd imagine. I take it you know the way?"

Percie nodded and went to stand up, but Annabeth put a hand to her shoulder.

"I'm going with you," the daughter of Athena said, and her tone declared she'd accept nothing other than a yes.

That was enough to make Percie want to refuse, but she couldn't. Annabeth clearly missed her own Percy, just like she missed Alister. Besides, she'd only gotten as far as she had because she had her friends behind her. It wasn't in her to reject them like that.

"Fine. But don't get into trouble on my account," Percie acquiesced.

The others wished them luck, and Chiron put a finger to his lips, clearly indicating that they should keep out of sight of Olympus. The two demigods packed, and met back up at Percie's car. Well, Percy's car. Percie's was still stuck in that side alley.

Annabeth climbed into the passenger's seat, and inhaled. "It... still smells like him. Like... an ocean breeze."

"How do you know that's not my scent?" the daughter of Poseidon joked, starting the car.

"I know."

Annabeth's voice was the exact same as Alister's whenever he was sure about something. It tugged at Percie's heartstrings, but she swallowed it down. If she and Percy had really changed places, then both boys were surely working as hard as they could to reverse this situation. The women couldn't afford to do any less on their end.

As they pulled away from camp, Annabeth turned to her. "What you did back there... standing up to Dionysus? That was pretty cool. And don't think I didn't notice you made him completely forget about the part where we were keeping secrets from the gods."

Percie grinned. "He's a grouchy old fool, but he's my grouchy old fool. I wasn't kidding about buying him off with Diet Coke, you know."

The daughter of Athena actually laughed at that, a middling giggle that sprung up into a higher register. That was Alister's laugh; literally, the exact same. 

Annabeth must have noticed Percie reminiscing, because she quieted down quickly. The New York countryside passed by as they drove, and the daughter of Athena seemed to contemplate something as they turned onto the highway. Finally, she spoke again.

"Percie?"

"Yes, Annabeth?"

"You can call me Wise Girl if you want to."

Percie actually slowed down to look her companion in the eye at that. "In that case, Seaweed Brain will do just fine."

That triggered another round of laughter, and Percie didn't hold back. Just like she never did. This world might have been one she hadn't expected to pass through, but the Fates could be finicky. Let them. Percie Jackson had Annabeth Chase by her side. If anything, it was the Fates who needed to be on high alert.


	5. The Road (Sky?) Trip

Calico brayed in irritation at Shortstop. "He said what?"

"That he would not be coming back, not after what Verona had been saying about him behind his back," the other pegasus whinnied. "Then he just soared away, without even bothering to say good-bye to the foals. What kind of father does that?"

"One who had no business being a father in the first place," Calico responded, shaking his head in disgust. "Deadbeat dads might be all the rage now in Stable Magazine, but that doesn't mean you should actually become one!"

The pegasi had been gossiping nonstop the entire flight. At first, Percy had offered to translate the conversation for Alister so neither of them ended up too bored during their trip, but that arrangement had only lasted twenty minutes or so before the son of Athena retracted the offer. Percy couldn't blame him. For flying horses, the duo were painfully dull about their conversation. Alister had the luxury of not being able to understand them; Percy not so much.

He must have been making a face, because Alister slowed the chariot once he saw the son of Poseidon staring daggers at the backs of their transport. "Maybe we could all use a break," he suggested, giving the reins a tug so the pegasi would land.

"A break?" Shortstop asked, as they descended. "But what about my story? I was just about to get to the good stuff."

"Yeah!" Calico added. "We can't just stop now. We'd be leaving off thigh-deep in suspense!"

Alister turned an eye to Percy. "They're not saying anything offensive, are they?"

Percy rested his head against the chariot's side in defeat. "Offensive? No. But boring? One hundred percent."

Shortstop reared as much as he could in his harness. "Boring? Me? What poppycock! I'll have you know I was voted 'Most Likely to Tell an Exciting Tale' in my pottery class at Cambridge!"

Calico whipped his head to the side to stare at his fellow pegasi. "Cambridge? You said you studied at Oxford!"

"No, I said dated a mare who studied at Oxford! Gods, why don't you pay better attention?"

The winged horses' conversation devolved into bickering between the two of them, which was at least more entertaining than listening to Shortstop badmouth his relatives. They didn't let up as they landed, and the moment Alister unleashed the harness, Calico stormed off in outrage, with a very persistent Shortstop hot on his heels.

The son of Athena shook his head as Percy steadied himself on the ground, trying to wait for his equilibrium to right itself. Flying may have been the most effective method of traveling to California, but it wasn't the easiest on his stomach.

"Is this what getting seasick is like?" Percy wobbled on his feet, until Alister leaned him on his shoulder.

"Probably, since you're starting to turn the same shade of green as your eyes," Alister told him, easing the son of Poseidon down into a sitting position.

"Just wonderful. I'm gonna need a minute," Percy said, leaning over into the fetal position.

Alister could only shake his head at his traveling companion before turning back to the chariot, digging into his bag for something. "We can stay grounded for a bit, so you can recover. But I'd rather not leave our only vehicle sitting out in the open like this."

Whatever Alister was looking for was at the bottom of the bag, since it took a solid minute for him to find it. "Finally!" he exclaimed, pulling out a Yankees cap.

Percy looked up from the ground in recognition. "Oh, is that the invisibility thing Athena gave Anna- I mean, you?"

Wow, that chariot ride must have really messed up his head. He'd kept the names straight the entire time since meeting Alister, so why did he let it mess up now? Annabeth would have called it a Freudian slip, but that would mean... something he didn't really want to think about. At least, not while he still felt like puking.

The son of Athena pretended not to notice, though. "Yep. It finally started working again once that mess with Gaea was settled, and the gods weren't stuck between their Greek and Roman forms. Since then, I've tried making improvements to it."

"Improvements?"

Alister nodded. "Observe." Fanning the hat out with his hand, the blonde demigod stepped up to the chariot, a determined expression on his face. Pulling on the brim with one hand, he stretched it out over the shaft of the chariot's yoke. Once he'd done that, the vehicle vanished.

Percy's mind was boggled. "What? You can turn objects invisible with it, too? Not just people?"

Alister's smile was a proud one. "Indeed. It already did that, since it would make its wearer's clothes and weapons disappear too, so I thought why not see if I could do the same without the need of a person. It took a few tries, plus quite a few favors called in to Hephaestus, but I managed to figure it out."

Geez, no wonder the guy had been so complicit in landing them. Wait a minute...

"Uh, I don't mean to sound like a worrywart, but do we know where we are?" Percy asked, pushing himself up to a lounging position on the ground.

"We should be in the middle of the Indiana Dunes National Park, about fifteen miles south of Lake Michigan, if my memory serves me correctly," Alister remarked, spreading out a map from his bag. "At this rate, we should be able to get to California late tomorrow night, if we leave early enough in the morning."

Percy startled. "Morning? We're setting up for the night here? I thought it was just a break."

Alister didn't speak for a moment. "I... changed my mind. It's already getting dark, and I don't want to put the pegasi at risk, flying them late into the night without rest," he said.

Alister might not have been Annabeth exactly, but Percy still recognized the tell that meant he wasn't telling the full story. Alister, just like Annabeth, had a slight tremble come into his bottom lip whenever he was keeping secrets from someone he cared about.

"Is that right?" the son of Poseidon asked, pushing the issue.

"What else would it be?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe you hadn't quite realized just how much flying was doing a number on me, and felt bad about it," Percy guessed.

The flush that came over Alister's face was all he needed to know he'd hit the nail on the head. "That is... completely ridiculous, Percy Jackson!" the son of Athena protested. "The pegasi need rest, as do the two of us."

"Ah, so you admit to being concerned about my well-being."

Despite the nausea still in his stomach, Percy couldn't help holding back a smile as Alister stuttered for a comeback before turning and walking away. "You are... impossible! I'm going to find some water; drinking for me, and the rest so I can throw it at you."

Oh, this was too easy. "Really? Water is your weapon of choice against a son of Poseidon?" Percy taunted.

Now it was Percy's turn to get cursed out by Alister, the son of Athena throwing as many as he could over his shoulder as he walked off. Percy had to hand it to him; despite the headache, Alister did help him feel better. Even if it wasn't in the way he intended.

Taking a few more moments to make sure he wouldn't topple over immediatly, Percy rose to his feet, finally getting a good look at where they had landed. The Indiana Dunes National Park was a mix of beach and forest, if the surrounding area was anything to go by. Alister had put them down in a clearing, with a multitude of trees sprouting in every direction. Despite that, the ground under his feet was a mix of both sand and soil, and looking north, Percy could see the sand slowly outnumbered the soil the further one went.

The chariot was invisible, so Percy could leave the clearing without feeling too guilty about leaving their vehicle unguarded, but the arrival of the pegasi meant he wouldn't have to. Calico came flying down as the son of Poseidon stepped back into the clearing, and Shortstop wasn't far behind, landing almost right on the chariot.

"What in the blazes?" Shortstop recoiled, and based on how the chariot had been facing, Percy judged the pegasus just took one of the wheels to the chest. 

"Yeah, the chariot is there; just invisible," he informed them.

Calico snorted. "Well, it better not be when we start flying again. I didn't bring my anti-gravity license with me on this trip."

"Anti-gravity license?"

"Yes, the one that lets me levitate demigods with my mind. What do you think some wind god would conclude, seeing pegasi pull demigods in an invisible chariot? We'd get fined into the next millennia!"

Shortstop shuddered. "Please, no. I can't afford any more air traffic tickets. Not after that summer in South Beach."

"Hey, you chose to drink and fly on your own, Shorty," Calico snapped at him.

"Only because that cat goddess dared me! Shortstop is many things, but he is not a coward!" the pegasus insisted.

Sensing another argument brewing, Percy jumped in. "Actually guys, we're gonna be settling in for the night here. Don't want to violate any union laws about overworking pegasi, you know?"

"Oh, how generous of you!" Shortstop swooned. "I'll tell the boss all about how accommodating you and Alister were on this flight, Jackson."

Okay... he hadn't been expecting there to be actual pegasus unions. But the more you know. "Thanks. Just make yourselves comfortable around here, and we'll resume in the morning."

Calico gave the other pegasus a dirty look. "Don't think you're off the hook with me about that lie you told about Cambridge, either."

Percy turned and left the clearing, just as Shortstop started whinnying about 'the benefits of a traditional education'. He'd heard enough equestrian squabbles for the day; heck, for the rest of his life.

Which meant his only other possible choice for company was Alister. Well, he could have gotten the attention of one of the nymphs sure to be hanging around the park, but most were bigger gossip-mongers than pegasi. The son of Athena was the only option that didn't involve him badmouthing someone to get attention.

At first, Percy was concerned that Alister would be hard to track down, if the size of the park from the air was anything to go by. Luckily, he heard his companion before he saw him.

"Stupid... idiot... moron... imbecile," Alister's voice carried through the trees. Moving through the brush, Percy came upon the son of Athena squatting by a small stream, probably one that connected to Lake Michigan to the north. Alister was collecting water from the stream by dunking his head into it and squeezing the water out of his hair into an extra bottle that they had packed. The sight was actually both funny and creative, made only more so by the sprinkled insults in between head dunks.

Since this part of the park was more sand than soil, the son of Athena didn't hear Percy approaching him from behind. "Bonehead... nitwit... loony," Alister kept muttering, each new dunk getting its own word. It took a lot of willpower for Percy to hold back his laughter, until he caught a glimpse of something else.

It had been hard to spot at first, from the angle he was standing at and from the copious amounts of water running down Alister's face as a side effect of his water-collecting, but the demigod seemed to be crying. In that moment, all of Percy's amusement turned to concern.

"You're gonna hurt your head, doing that for too long," he finally said, causing Alister to freeze in place, his hands still wringing his hair out. The son of Poseidon sighed, sitting down next to him.

"Besides, I think you've got enough," Percy continued, capping the now almost-full bottle Alister was leaning over.

The son of Athena slowly coiled up into a sitting position, bringing one hand up to his eyes. "I take it you're feeling better, then?" he asked, not looking at Percy.

"Yeah. Just needed a moment to rest."

Alister absorbed his response before nodding, and pulled his hand away from his face. There weren't any tears, but the redness around his eyes proved what Percy had noticed wasn't a trick of the light. "Good. Have the pegasi made it back?"

"Yep. Were happy to learn we were stopping for the night, too."

"I figured. From what you told me of their conversation, I suspected Calico would drown himself in lava before being left completely alone with Shortstop."

The two of them sat in silence for a moment, Percy contemplating whether or not he should mention what he came upon. He didn't want to embarrass the son of Athena, especially since they had only just met a few hours ago.

"Is that what you're telling yourself?" a small voice inside Percy's head asked. "You're just new acquaintances?"

Great, now his conscience was lecturing him. That's why it sounded so much like Annabeth. He knew Alister technically was Annabeth, but how could he be expected to broach a topic like that now?

"If it was Annabeth that you stumbled on in the forest, dunking her head into a stream to fill a water bottle and crying, would you just pretend nothing had happened?" the voice put forth.

No. He knew that much. He cared too much to ignore something like that.

"Oh, but you're willing to do that to him, huh? You're not the only one separated from the person he loves, Percy Jackson."

Ouch. That one stung. But he had to admit it had a point. Alister was a lot better at keeping his emotions hidden than Percy, but the son of Poseidon knew better than to assume this freak accident hadn't hurt both of them.

Looking over, Percy noticed the son of Athena still hadn't budged from his crouch. The tears may have stopped, but Percy suspected there was a tremor working its way through Alister even now. He couldn't close his eyes to that.

"So... how much of those words were meant for me?" he finally asked.

Alister swallowed. "Less than you might think."

"Then who were they really for?"

The son of Athena closed his eyes, letting out a shaky breath. "Percie, the gods, you... and me."

Percy blinked at that last one. "You? Why for you?"

"I... don't know," Alister admitted, his hand going to his left arm. "A part of me knows there's nothing I can blame myself for, relating to this. None of us really could; who even knew magic like this was possible? But even with that thought... I can't help but feel like I have to share the blame for everything else that's happened to her."

This... was a side of Annabeth Percy had only seen a few times. In private moments, away from the eyes of everyone. The daughter of Athena had accomplished more than Percy had ever dreamed anyone could do in a lifetime, and over a span of just five years. But that didn't mean she didn't hold regrets.

Percy definitely had his fair share. Bianca di Angelo, Charles Beckendorf, Ethan Nakamura... all of their faces had appeared in Percy's nightmares. He might have not been directly responsible for their deaths, but the son of Poseidon had wondered, more than once, what each of those demigods might have accomplished if they'd never crossed paths with him.

His gaze must have drifted, because Alister had to nudge him back to the real world. The son of Athena didn't look miffed by Percy's lackluster attention, however.

"We can't afford to sit here feeling sorry for ourselves. Not both of us, anyway," Alister chided, rising to his feet.

"I get it, though," Percy responded, rising as well. "This worry that you make things worse for everyone, just by being involved. It doesn't leave, even if you know the end result is worth fighting for."

Alister sucked in a breath. "And I don't disagree. But we can spill our hearts to each other some other time," the son of Athena said, walking back to the clearing.

"I'll remember you said that, Wise Guy," Percy told him, matching his stride.

"I'm sure you will, Seaweed Brain."

It wasn't a very long walk, but it did take enough time for a new idea to occur to Alister.

"Why did you assume my complaining was about you?" he asked Percy.

"Because we packed plenty of water bottles for the trip. There was no need for you to go find some random stream and fill more," Percy said, only half-joking. "I just assumed you were looking for an excuse to get some space away from me, after our little spat."

"Oh, the spat we were having because you were wrong?"

Percy chuckled. "So you're still denying that you were worried about me?"

"And I will continue to do so, to the day I die," Alister assured him.

Percy was about to call that bluff, until the sound of hooves interrupted the conversation. "Are those... the pegasi?" he wondered.

Alister's hand crept towards his sword. "I think so... so why would they come running after us from the clearing?"

When Calico and Shortstop came thundering past, eyes wide with terror, the demigods had their answer. A trio of anthropomorphic sand creatures erupted out of the tree line, brandishing an assortment of sand weapons. 

"Run, boys! These guys mean business!" Shortstop wailed as he galloped past Percy.

The son of Poseidon uncapped Riptide, facing this new threat with apprehension. Despite his studying on mythological creatures, he didn't recognize the sand demons now bearing down on him and Alister.

"Seitaads," the son of Athena helpfully growled as he drew his own blade.

"What?"

"Basically sand monsters. They can shape sand into whatever form they wish, including parts of their own bodies. Oh, and they eat just about anything living," Alister told him, bracing his sword against his shoulder.

The Seitaads, having evidently given up their pursuit of the pegasi, circled the two demigods, waving their sand weapons menacingly. Well, two of them, at least. The third Seitaad had apparently chosen to make his weapon a sand-fork. Size and all.

"Not very talkative, are they?" Percy posed, turning so he and Alister stood back to back.

One of the monsters, who was dual-wielding two sand flails, suddenly leapt forward, his sand-legs launching him a lot further than Percy would have expected. Sidestepping the flails, Percy slashed Riptide into the monster's side, but shockingly, the blade seemed to pass right through the Seitaad. 

"Kinda hard to stab sand, Percy!" Alister yelled, rolling out of the way of the second flail. The Seitaad with the fork charged the son of Athena, who had to pull his dagger with his left hand to stop the monster from impaling his liver.

Percy pivoted, leaping over the first attacker to cover Alister's flank. They were outnumbered in this fight three-to-two, so where was the third Seitaad? Only two of them had attacked so far.

Landing next to Alister, the son of Poseidon kicked the sand-fork away from his back, only to register a horrified look in the son of Athena's eyes. Before he could figure out what was going on, Alister planted a kick right into Percy's solar plexus, knocking the demigod backwards a solid five feet. The force was enough to throw Alister back as well, just in time to avoid the third Seitaad, who came bursting out of the ground right where both boys had been standing just moments ago.

"Sorry!" Alister shouted, rolling onto his feet and striking with both of his blades. The sword lodged in the third Seitaad's chest, but stuck there, and the monster didn't seem very bothered by the new accessory. His dagger, meanwhile, sliced the sand-fork into pieces, only for the second Seitaad to mold a part of its stomach into a double-bladed axe.

Percy staggered to his feet, intent on helping Alister, but the first Seitaad had other ideas, slapping with one of its flails at Riptide. The flail looped around the sword, and with a snap, Riptide was wrenched out of his hands. Oh boy.

The second flail came racing down at Percy's skull, which the demigod was only able to avoid by leaping to one side onto his stomach. Not slowing down, he kept his momentum, tucking into a roll as the Seitaad started kicking up sand with its feet.

Sand that turned into a twister, sending the son of Poseidon flying into a tree. Percy felt his ribs seize up as he slid down the bark, and had to haul himself to his feet using the trunk as a brace. Allister wasn't having much success, either. His sword was out of reach, still firmly planted into the third Seitaad, who had copied his friend's idea of a battle-axe.

The son of Athena's face strained as he tried to counter two long-handled weapons with just a dagger, and before long, one of his opponents managed to cut a pretty serious gash into his leg.

This was not going well. All the boys had between them was a single dagger, to take on three enemies who could never be disarmed, and could just burrow into the ground to launch attacks from below. They needed something else.

Percy had an idea, having seen Riptide pass right through the sandy things, but he had no idea if it would work. Even if it did, their location meant he might not even be able to pull it off. 

Alister's injury kicked him into gear. The son of Athena tried pulling back, but hobbling on one leg was a precarious position to be in on the battlefield. The Seitaads facing him charged as one, while the third jumped at Percy, its flails coming together into one strike. Percy shut his eyes, reaching out. This had to work.

It did. A wall of water came rushing past the tree Percy was leaning against, catching his attacker off guard. The sand monster dissolved into particles as the wave washed over it, distracting its two companions long enough for the water to consume them as well. With all three Seitaads now trapped in the vortex, Percy held his hand out, pushing the entire body of water up into the air. 

"Please work," he whispered, holding it aloft. Once he was sure the Seitaads had been raised high enough, the son of Poseidon closed his hand into a fist. The water condensed down into a smaller and smaller shape, crushing every grain of sand due to the increasing pressure. Percy didn't let up until he'd turned the massive wave into a drop small enough to fit on a fingernail, before finally dropping it. 

Alister stared at him in shock, blood still pouring out of his leg. "Where did you get that water from?"

"The stream; I didn't know if it was close enough for me to pull it over to us, but I guess it was," he answered, before his chest convulsed in agony. "Gah, that smarts."

"I think you might have broken something," Alister suggested, before his one good leg gave out, sending the son of Athena into a faceplant. "GH- I don't think I can walk on this," he muttered through his teeth.

Despite the cracked feeling in Percy's torso, he managed to kneel down next to Alister. "We packed nectar, right?"

"Back... at the camp," Alister wheezed.

Percy cursed, before a familiar voice spoke behind him.

"Nice fighting, gentlemen!" Shortstop congratulated them, nuzzling into Percy's back. "Calico thought we were about to be turned into steaks if we hadn't run into you!"

"I did not, you liar!" Calico brayed, trotting up to them. "You were the one screaming for help as we ran."

"Yes, but you ran first."

"Did not!"

"Did so."

"No-"

"Shut up!" Percy snapped. "Were you two just waiting on the outskirts of that fight, watching us almost die?"

Both pegasi blustered, but didn't deny the accusation. The son of Poseidon fumed, but held his tongue further. "Never mind. You can make yourselves useful now. Get the two of us back to the clearing we set up in," he ordered.

The winged horses murmured apologies as Percy hoisted Alister onto Calico, then draped himself over Shortstop. The ride wasn't a smooth one, since Shortstop seemed incapable of avoiding hitting every other root with his hoof. Percy held his pain down, until a particularly sharp jolt elicited a groan. 

"Careful, you oaf! It's his chest!" Alister admonished Shortstop.

The pegasus grumbled about taking orders from someone who couldn't even walk for a second, before remembering that Percy could understand him, and kept his mouth mercifully shut the rest of the way.

On reaching the clearing, Percy was insistent that Alister take some nectar before he did, something the son of Athena didn't try to argue against. His leg injury must have been worse than he let on, if he didn't squabble about it.

Once that was taken care of, it was Percy's turn for treatment. One touch from Alister confirmed that yes, at least a few ribs were cracked, with one broken for sure. The son of Poseidon had to be propped up against the invisible chariot for Alister to get enough nectar into him.

"That should be better in a few hours," the son of Athena said once they'd finished. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he blinked at Percy. "Wait... what happened to my sword?"

Talking only made his chest injury throb, so Percy instead pointed upwards. Alister turned an incredulous look to the sky, and was treated to the sight of his sword, thoroughly soaked, come spiraling down, landing on the ground with a thunk.

"How- how did you do that?!"

Maybe it was the nectar taking effect, but Percy smirked as he felt sleep pulling at him. "I'll... tell you... in... the morning."

And with that, he was out.


	6. Exit, Pursued By Possibility

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter digs into some of the more traumatic elements of being a demigod, especially ones as experienced as Percy and Annabeth. Take care if that might sound a little too intense for your liking.

"So, who's my double for you?" Annabeth asked, drumming her fingers on the dashboard. The two demigods had been sitting in an awkward silence since Percie put it into cruise on the highway. Rachel's mansion wasn't too far, but there were only so many trees one could count on the side of the road before insanity started to set in.

Percie sighed, her grip on the steering wheel tightening as she thought of her boyfriend. "Alister. Before you ask, yes; he is taller than you."

The daughter of Athena pondered this information, then closed her eyes. "I know you went over everything, and most of it seems to be the exact same sequence of events. But, I can't help feeling like there had to be at least some minor differences here and there."

"Such as?"

"Well, when I went after the Athenian Parthenos, I had to outwit a cabal of chauvinistic Roman ghosts. Did Alister have better luck, since he was a man, in that little encounter?"

Percie pursed her lips as she tried to recall everything Alister had told her about his descent under Athens, where he confronted Arachne. To be fair to her, he'd shared it while they were stuck in Tartarus, so she'd been repressing most of it for a while. "He ran into them, but from what he said, it was no cakewalk for him, either. Honestly, I'm pretty sure those ghosts would have been a pain in the butt for anyone, regardless of who they were."

Annabeth blinked, then nodded. "I guess it was just overthinking on my part. That whole mess with the Romans... I know we're good now, but when they learned I was a child of Athena... you'd have thought I cannibalized their children in front of them."

"Because of the whole 'chaste goddess' thing?" Percie guessed.

"Yeah. Of course, that's not how Athena has children, but it didn't seem like a good time to go into detail about exactly how I was born."

Percie chuckled. "No, I imagine that would have freaked them out even more."

The daughter of Poseidon was in an odd position, to say the least. The conversation was easy enough to have, even though she was technically talking to someone who'd seen everything Alister had. Alister... gods, what did he say when he realized she was gone? They were going to wash out the stables together, as soon as she got back from seeing Nicola and Willamina off. It was an errand. A typical thing. He'd kissed her temple, and said "Don't keep me waiting" with a look so serious, it was funny. 

But it wasn't funny any more. The longer they were apart like this, the more it would ache. The reassurance that the son of Athena had Percy was a small measure of comfort, but Annabeth had a point. Even though they were the same, things were different. And she didn't know the intricacies of Annabeth's relationship, either. Could things really be so... simple, to say all was exactly as it was on the other side?

Percie's grip on the wheel got tighter, and tighter, until it felt like the upholstery was hanging on by a thread. Her knuckles were shaking, too, and Percie had to will her muscles back to a more relaxed state.

Such a thing, of course, caught Annabeth's attention, and the daughter of Athena's eyes softened into a compassionate look. 

"He had those moments, too," she admitted, turning to look out the window.

"I'd be scared if he didn't," Percie responded, her eyes locked on the road now. "Alister always knew when I was about to go off, and could prepare for it." The daughter of Poseidon could conjure the image all too easily. It would be something small; a young girl calling for her brother, or a wire snapping if pulled too taut. Then the memories would start to overwhelm her. A choking, squeezing sensation that felt like it would last forever... then Alister would pull her in, and his voice would make it all shrink away. It hadn't gotten any easier since Tartarus, except now it was something that happened to both of them. They'd only gotten closer after Gaea's defeat, something many already thought impossible.

Annabeth breathed out a hearty sigh, brining Percie out of her thoughts. 

"I just hope yours is taking care of mine," Annabeth said after a pause.

"Knowing mine, he's already given yours a thorough dressing-down, if not two," Percie shot back.

Annabeth smiled at that. "Yep, you two are the same. Making even the worst better with a joke."

"I'm only half-joking," Percie countered, but the smile was contagious. Geez, that woman looked just like Alister when she smiled. It was enough to melt the heart of a dragon.

The rest of the drive to the Dare residence passed by quickly enough, mainly due to the traffic thinning out as the demigods headed further away from the city. Percie ended up gunning the engine to nearly ninety at one point, only for Annabeth to pester her enough to drop it down to eighty. "You're going to get us killed before we ever make it," she'd complained.

"Let's hope not. Imagine how embarrassing the epitaph would be: Here lies Percie Jackson: Hero of Olympus, Bane of Pavement."

That one had been enough for Annabeth to gently punch her in the shoulder, which just made Percie more determined to get her to smile again. Maybe next time.

The Dare manor loomed over the women as Percie pulled into the driveway. Annabeth had leaned over the driver's seat to let Rachel know who was to be expected over the intercom stationed at the front gate, which was more than enough to get them waved through without a problem.

"Did anyone tell her anything over Iris message while we were driving?" Percie asked.

Annabeth shook her head. "If we're keeping things under wraps, we can't be too liberal with our messaging. Iris is sure to be listening in once she realizes we're sending a lot out of camp, and that info will spread like a plague on Olympus if she hears it."

"Yay, a busybody rainbow goddess. What else is new?"

The driveway was empty, which meant Percie could finally enjoy some decent parking at the house. The last time she'd seen River, his dad was holding some kind of fundraiser, and you couldn't get within three hundred feet of the house with a car. At least, until The Hind of Keryneia showed up, and destroyed most of the ground floor. On the bright side, it made the evening a lot more exhilarating.

"So, how do we want to do this? I knock on the door, and lead with 'Hi, I'm Percie, but a woman!'?" the daughter of Poseidon asked.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "No, Seaweed Brain. We can explain it together, without the need for the theatrics."

"You're no fun."

"I can be fun! I just know when to have fun!"

"That would be easier to believe if you hadn't just blushed."

The daughter of Athena made a face. "You... are so... idiot!" she snapped, marching to the door and banging on it.

"Hey, you opened this can of worms, Wise Girl. Remember that," Percie said, joining her on the porch. Annabeth didn't respond, and Percie sighed. "Fine. I'm sorry for making fun of you. My bad."

She didn't say anything back, but her face did soften a little. Just in time, too, since the door opened not a second later.

"Annabeth!" Rachel greeted, wrapping the demigod in a hug. "It's been, what? Six months, more? How you been?"

"Busy, Rachel. Very busy," Annabeth grunted through the embrace, doing her best to return it.

Percie studied this world's Oracle of Delphi as she and Annabeth hugged it out. The hair was the closest connection to River from the outset, but it wasn't hard to see the other hits. Their height seemed to be identical, and the freckles might have even been in the exact same pattern. That... was just a tad weird, even for this situation.

Rachel finally dropped Annabeth from her clutches, but didn't look away. "So, where's Percy? He couldn't come?"

The relatively good mood that had been on the porch evaporated with that question. Annabeth's eyes fell to the ground, and Rachel's face grew somber.

"Oh, boy. What's happened now?"

'It would... be best to discuss this inside," Annabeth whispered.

Rachel didn't hesitate to shoo both demigods in, shutting the door behind them. "My parents are out, so we've got the place to ourselves. Let's talk in the kitchen," the Oracle said, leading the way.

That was how Percie found herself sitting in a chair so expensive, King Minos would have fainted at the sight of it. Rachel's hot chocolate wasn't half bad, either, even if it really wasn't the perfect weather for it.

"So, what's Ocean Boy gotten himself into this time?" Rachel asked once they were all situated.

Annabeth stared down into her mug, most likely trying to come up with the best way to explain it all. Not an easy task.

"It's a long story," Percie said, trying to spare Annabeth some heartache.

The Oracle turned to Percie, really looking at her for the first time. "Well, if there's one thing we have right now, it's time. Don't hold back on my account."

Percie could appreciate her spunk, at least, and complied. Everything she'd said at camp, she said here. Rachel's eyes bugged out, but she didn't interrupt, even when Percie mentioned that her Oracle wasn't a Rachel at all. She finished with the idea Damien brought up about seeing her, and waited for a response.

The Oracle of Delphi's eyes went back and forth between Percie and Annabeth fervently, before landing on the daughter of Poseidon. "And... you're him, in a manner of speaking?"

"Yeah; seems so."

Annabeth palmed her mug, looking despondent. "It's been a very... interesting last few hours, to say the least."

"I can't imagine why," Rachel murmured, standing to her feet. "No prophecies have cropped up, at least, so we're safe on that account for the moment. Otherwise... I don't really have a guess."

Annabeth leaned forward, her eyes focusing. "I know it can be difficult to see the things you do, but is there something... anything we can try?"

Rachel grimaced, resting her hands on the kitchen counter. "Annabeth... trying to force the visions is never a good idea. Especially with Apollo in such hot water with Zeus for that whole fiasco with Gaea."

Percie bit her lip. "Even if we managed to get one, there's still the matter of figuring out how exactly this was done. What's the point of bailing out the ship if you don't plug the leak that caused it to take on water in the first place?"

The other girls blinked at her.

"Are we sure she's Percy?" Rachel asked Annabeth.

'I was pretty confident," Annabeth admitted.

The daughter of Poseidon huffed. "Focus, guys. I've been around enough magic to know that spells of this magnitude never just do one thing. It's like unraveling a knot, and causing the whole tapestry to come apart."

Annabeth tilted her head. "Yes, that could very well be a potential problem, but according to that analogy, we'd have to find the knot in order to unravel it in the first place."

"Knots or no knots, it's not something I think I can brute force," Rachel cut in. "The last person to try went mad, remember? The best I can offer is to try to coax whatever I can out, but I'm gonna have to take it at my own pace."

"It's better than nothing," Percie conceded, but Annabeth still didn't look very pleased.

"Okay... just keep us informed," the daughter of Athena relented.

Rachel blew a stray tuft of hair out of her face. "Not like I have anything better to do, cooped up in here with no one else to talk to."

"Spoken just like River," Percie commented, standing up and offering the Oracle her hand. "Thanks for your time, and nice to meet you."

"You too, though I wish the circumstances weren't so dire," Rachel seconded, accepting the shake.

It was in that moment, when their hands connected, it happened. Rachel's grip tightened, and her eyes started to shimmer, a green light dancing in them. Even though they were indoors, Percie could feel the wind blowing past her, circling the Oracle as Rachel's jaw dropped, her eyes clearly not seeing what was in front of them. The phenomenon lasted for fifteen seconds, before the wind departed, and Rachel's eyes returned to their normal shade of green. The Oracle wobbled on her feet, and collapsed into Percie's arms.

"Er- I'll never get used to that!" the daughter of Poseidon exclaimed, holding Rachel aloft. She'd only seen River have an episode like that once, when he'd delivered the Prophecy of the Seven, but it was still enough to creep her out.

"Rachel!" Annabeth jumped out of her seat, coming to Percie's side. "What was that? What did you see?"

The Oracle swayed in Percie's grip, her face trembling. "V-V... Vengeance..." she managed to say, holding tight to Percie.

The daughter of Athena zoned in. "Vengeance? Like Nemesis?"

"No, no," Rachel muttered, her body starting to recover. Percie was able to raise her to a standing position, but the Oracle did lean on her for support. "Not Nemesis. This was too... one-sided to be her. Too much anger, rage. Like a dam about to burst."

"A dam?" Percie questioned. "That sounds really familiar..."

"Not now!" Annabeth interrupted, still focused on Rachel. "This anger. Who did it come from?"

The Oracle's eyes started to refocus. "She... uses many names. I don't know which is her real one. But... she is known as the child-eater. The night terror. The enchantress. Even the bogeyman."

Percie tensed up. "The enchantress? Could that be?"

"The person who cast the spell? Yes," Rachel said, no hesitation in her voice.

Percie turned to Annabeth. "Anyone you would know?"

The daughter of Athena shook her head in frustration. "No. Too many monsters could fulfill those descriptions. Our biggest hint is that our tormentor is a she."

"But do you know what this means?" Rachel burst out, pulling on Percie's arm. "That vision triggered when we touched. For that to happen... whatever magic brought you to this world, and sent Percy away, still lingers. Its presence has followed you."

Percie winced. "That doesn't sound good."

"No. Whoever cast the spell could use that to track you. Even worse... I don't think she's the only one who could follow it."

Annabeth and Percie startled at that. "You mean... Percie's going to draw in even more monsters than usual?" Annabeth asked, shocked.

The Oracle nodded apprehensively. "It might start to fade over time, but until that time comes, you're going to attract monsters by the hundreds."

Percie closed her eyes, her gut starting to churn. "So, I'm gonna have to deal with even more nasties than usual? Just peachy."

Annabeth put her hand to her chin, closing her eyes as well. "The enchantress, and now this? There has to be something... something we can narrow down if we can just look back far enough."

Percie opened one eye at that. "Far enough?"

"The magic used to exchange the two Percys would have required thousands of years to perfect. Lou Ellen's always talking about how some spells can be so complicated, they take actual decades to cast properly."

Rachel frowned. "If that's the case... then there's something we may need to keep in mind."

"Yes?"

"The instability in that vision made some things hard to interpret, but the anger I felt from it wasn't just directed at Percy. Some of it seems to also have been born through the spell itself."

Now Percie was lost. "The spell itself?"

Rachel cupped her chin in her hands. "Something must have gone wrong. The spell misfired... or glitched... or something. The effort it took to create it went to waste."

"So, this enchantress wasn't planning on swapping the two Percys?"

Annabeth opened her eyes in fear. "No, she wasn't. What would be accomplished by just exchanging them? A tremendous amount of effort went into crafting that spell; they wouldn't get complacent with a swap."

Rachel's expression was starting to match Annabeth's. "And if there was a hiccup in the spell, that could have been what caused the switch in the first place. Of course, if that's true... what was the original goal?"

The daughter of Athena's mouth twisted into a snarl. Her eyes seemed to grow even grayer as she had a realization. "A spell of this caliber... could only have been conjured for one single purpose."

Percie held her breath, desperately praying that Annabeth was about to say something like 'so she could hold a really exciting Bingo tournament' or 'she was really lonely, and who better to have for company than two heroes'. Life had been difficult enough. It was only fair that the mastermind behind this plot was just a big softie. Right? Right?

Wrong.

"The enchantress... intended to remove Percy Jackson from existence entirely."


	7. Apologies Are Overrated

Demigod dreams were unpredictable. Sometimes you'd be forced to relive some of the most unpleasant moments of your life, in excruciating detail. Or maybe you'd get oddly accurate showings of things happening across the world, which nine times out of ten ended up being directly related to whatever you were doing. Occasionally, you might get a reprieve, if Morpheus was on his lunch break. But the god of dreams rarely ever ate.

He certainly wasn't on break while Percy was out. The son of Poseidon saw flashes of his biggest memories as he slept: The Battle of Manhattan, the Argo II firing on New Rome, almost drowning for real after nearly dying in that muskeg in Alaska. But those were small fry compared to what he ended up seeing.

He was back in the alley in New York, cold spaghetti slapping him in the face as he turned on his heels to look around. Percy made a move towards the alley's exit, but before he had finished his first step, the street fell away, leaving him stranded in the outlet he'd faced Snake Lady in. 

Speaking of his enemy, she seemed to have been granted a starring role in this nightmare. She'd come unfurled out of the ground, her street performer clothes exchanged for a Victorian-era dress that covered her from her neck to her ankles. Her eyes shone with an ethereal light, and her claws had grown to an impossible length, so much so that they fully extended from the massive sleeves on her arms. Of course, Percy didn't find Riptide when he reached for it. Thanks, Morpheus.

"Percy Jackson," Snake Lady boomed, her voice striking every joint in the demigod's body with paralysis. "The Fates are both kind and unkind to you, are they not?"

Whatever snappy comeback Percy was going to throw back at her died in his throat. Apparently Snake Lady didn't seem to lose any of her magical abilities in dream-mode. His whole body seized up, forcing him to look her in the face as she slowly approached him. Her dress ripped and tattered as she grew closer, revealing more of her scaly skin with every inch.

"I confess, I underestimated you. Even knowing what you were capable of, I allowed myself to be taken off-guard by one of Hera's champions," the monster spat, smoke beginning to sizzle from her sleeves. 

Percy might not have been able to move, but his eyes still conveyed his surprise at that remark. Snake Lady sighed. "Yes, you may not see yourself as that, but your understanding is but a trifle anyway. A shame that it must come to this."

She laced one of her clawed hands under Percy's chin, tilting his head upward until it faced the sky. "I wonder if your patron regrets her actions, if she's even capable of such sympathy. She showed me none."

The sorceress didn't seem to be speaking for his benefit, but Percy appreciated the info. Assuming she didn't possess the ability to kill him in his sleep right here.

"You know, there was a rumor going around some of the ancient Greeks that you and I shared the same father," Snake Lady continued, wrapping her claws around his throat. "Good thing it wasn't true. I might actually feel a little guilty about this."

With that, she began squeezing. The son of Poseidon felt his chest start to burn as his windpipe was blocked off, but with his limbs still completely frozen, there was nothing he could do about it. "For what it's worth, die knowing that you have caused more trouble for me than any of the so-called gods."

Even his sleep, Percy could feel his lungs desperately fighting for air. The claws on her hand began digging into his neck as she tightened her hold, and his vision began to darken. "Don't fight me, young one. I possess things you could nev-" Snake Lady started to say, before her eyes widened in fury.

"No! I won't let you interrupt!" she screamed into the darkness behind her.

With the last of his consciousness slipping away, Percy could just barely make out Snake Lady raising her other hand to slice his throat with her claws, only to vanish into mist before she could strike. That mist enveloped Percy, shrouding the son of Poseidon in a new light. At least, until that light became corporeal and bonked him on the head.

The blow was enough to jolt the demigod awake, now gasping for air again. His hand instinctively went to his throat, and even though there were no puncture wounds, he would have sworn he could feel bruising. Yet that was still not the thing that immediatly grabbed his attention upon awaking.

He was still leaned up against the chariot in the clearing, where he'd passed out after being treated for his rib injury. However, the clearing had a new occupant, aside from the party he'd left camp with.

The woman was clearly a god, that was obvious. Why else would she be wearing a Greek chiton out in the middle of the Indiana Dunes National Park? Her hair was a darkened shade of brown, that hung down her waist in wild tangles. A dagger was fastened into her side, and she clutched a sputtering torch in her left hand. The torch finally clued him in.

"Lady Hecate?" he asked, his voice raspy from his near-strangulation.

The goddess of magic regaled him with a look of extreme annoyance. "So you do exist, after all," she growled, shifting her torch between her hands. "When Gale told me the tale, I was incredulous. But how can I deny my own eyes now?"

Still trying to regain his breath, Percy thought back to when he'd last seen Hecate. It had been the final battle against the giants, right after Gaea awoke. The goddess had fought alongside Hazel. She'd been elegant, and refined in her movements. But the deity before Percy now was anything but. Her chiton was a mess, and her torch looked pathetically sad, like it might fuzz out at a slight gust of wind.

Hecate's look only got sourer as she studied him back. "Yes, Percy Jackson. I am not myself... not in the way I desire. Your little mistake back in that alley has stripped me of all but my most basic powers."

Percy shifted against the chariot, and suddenly became aware of a new weight leaning against his chest. He turned his head, and was treated to the sight of Alister's sleeping form, nestled into the son of Poseidon's side. Percy put a hand to the son of Athena's back in an effort to shake him awake, but got no response.

"Don't bother trying to stir him. I've made sure the two of us can't be interrupted," Hecate snapped.

Percy felt a surge of anger flare up in his stomach. "You better not have hurt him," he managed to say with a reasonable amount of effort.

"Or what? You'll insult my hair?" the goddess spat back. "And don't accuse me of things you know nothing about. He's merely sleeping. How quickly you forget, Percy Jackson, the part I played in the Battle of Manhattan."

"Oh, the part where you put the entire city to sleep so Kronos could march in and slaughter my friends with no traffic in the way?" Percy demanded, his rising emotions making it easier to speak.

"What, was I supposed to meekly stand by while the twelve shunned all those outside their circle?" Hecate rounded, mist coiling around her shoulders. "Do you have any idea how many of my children went to the lord of time, son of Poseidon? Opposing him would have put me at odds with my own!" she fumed.

Percy went silent at that. He knew that many demigods of the minor gods had filled Kronos's ranks; it was why he'd tried to spare them during the war. They had been abused and neglected for so long; of course they'd go running to someone promising a better future. What he hadn't realized were the implications behind their involvement. Hecate, Nemesis, Iris, Hypnos... siding with the gods meant killing their own children.

His silence must have confirmed something for Hecate, because the goddess's expression returned to a neutral state. "I am many things, hero. Not all of them something to boast about. But I will not be the parent that the Olympians were to their offspring."

Percy swallowed, then nodded. "Okay. My apologies."

The goddess arched an eyebrow. "Unnecessary, but appreciated nonetheless. Now, on to the matter at hand."

Hecate spread her hands out, and the Mist began circling once again, covering the whole clearing in its fog. The goddess of magic vanished, but reappeared next to Percy, her torch now tucked under her arm. "I know of the woman who now haunts your dreams, the one who would have killed you had I not awoken you."

Percy flinched at the memory, causing Alister's head to slip down into the crook of his elbow. "So that was you, who interrupted that?"

"Indeed. I confess, I did consider allowing her to finish the job, if only to see if that might right the wrongs I've been dealing with since you arrived in this world," she confirmed.

"Do those wrongs have anything to do with your... current state?"

Hecate hissed. "The nerve of her... playing with a power like that so recklessly. We're lucky she hasn't ripped the fabric of the world apart, regardless of your displacement with our own Percie Jackson."

"But how would that weaken you?"

"A bit of half-truths on my part. Let me rephrase: The only reason the world hasn't come apart is because I've been holding it together, as best as I can. Of course, I am trying to counter magic that has been crafted over years on the fly, so I'm forced to... expend myself in ways I have not had to do in millennia."

Percy startled at his news. "That's just this world, though?"

Hecate actually let a small grin play across her lips. "I can assure you, no. Such magic has destabilized your world as well, if the forces I've seen working alongside me are anything to go by."

"Forces alongside you?"

"I suspect that the other me, your Hecate, is fighting on her side as well. The two of us are more attuned to magic than any of the other gods, minor or otherwise."

A sad thought sprung up in Percy's mind as he caught onto Hecate's meaning. "But, if you're busy holding the world together, you won't be able to assist us in undoing the spell, right?"

"You are more astute than many believe you, Jackson," she nodded. "Alas, I can only remain here a few minutes more, before my attention must refocus on the task at hand. Be warned: my magic right now shields you from the monsters hunting you, but when I leave, that protection will be lifted. You must resume your travels, immediatly."

Percy shivered as he absorbed her words, but nodded in response. "Thank you, for what you're able to do, Lady Hecate."

"Do not thank me yet, Percy. I suspect the real solution to this lies within you, and our Percie. Again."

Before she left, Percy needed to get one more question in. "You said you knew about this sorceress responsible, right? Anything specific you can tell?"

A troubled look passed over Hecate, before the goddess closed her eyes. "Very well. I will only tell you her name; no more. The woman behind this... she is called Lamia."

The goddess of magic departed with that, the Mist leaving the clearing as quickly as it arrived. Percy shook his head, too many thoughts running through his mind in that moment. Hecate's warning had been dire; they were being hunted, and needed to get out of there.

Alister's head had landed in Percy's lap by now, and the son of Poseidon shook him as effectively as he could without hurting him. Gray, bleary eyes fluttered open, looking up at Percy in confusion. "Uh, why are you upside down?"

"No time for talk! We've got to move!" Percy insisted, rolling out from under the son of Athena.

Alister lifted his head off the ground, an embarrassed look on his face. "Oh, gods. Did I try to cuddle you in my sleep? I am so sorry, it's something I've been trying t-"

"No need for sorry! Just get the pegasi harnessed!" Percy reiterated, before coming to a stop. "Wait... where are they?"

A long leg sticking out over the chariot clued him in. Stepping around it, he spotted Calico still snoring, his hind leg sticking into the air straight up. Shortstop was totally splayed out, like a snow angel, with his wings folded under him.

"Oh no! The sand demons are back!" Percy yelled out, his voice full of terror.

Calico's eye snapped open, his other hind leg shooting up to join the other one. "Please no..." he whimpered.

Shortstop didn't stir. ".... No, I said extra hay, not hold the hay," he neighed in his sleep.

Time for drastic action. Percy grabbed one of the water bottles they'd packed and splashed it into the pegasus's face. Worked like a charm. "Great jumping ballyhoo!" Shortstop cried out, rising to his feet in one swift motion. "The mermaids are attacking! With water that smells like Alister's scalp, for some reason!"

Percy rolled his eyes, but played along. "Yeah! And they're really mad at you! Mermaids hate higher education!"

"No! The savages! We must depart immediatly!" the winged horse screeched, racing towards the chariot, now visible once again.

Alister pocketed his Yankees cap, still shrugging off whatever Hecate had used to put him to sleep. "Ready when you guys are," he said, then had to jump to one side before getting trampled by the two panicked pegasi.

Percy loaded their bags as Alister harnessed the panicked Calico and the absolutely hysterical Shortstop. "They're gonna kill me before I can pay off my student loans!" the latter wailed.

After making sure everything was ready, Percy hopped on after the son of Athena, readying himself for another horrible take-off. Alister didn't even have to to touch the reins; the moment both boys were in the chariot, they were already ascending.

"Tch!" Percy winced, grabbing onto Alister's arm as the pegasi carried them into the sky at speeds he previously thought weren't possible. As they crossed beyond the treetops, the son of Poseidon made the mistake of looking down. Firstly, because it only made his airsickness worse. Second, because it gave him a good view of the posse Hecate had mentioned being on their tail.

More Seitaads, at least twenty of them, came charging into the clearing. It didn't take long for them to notice the chariot soaring into the air, and in the next moment, all of them turned parts of themselves into sand bows with sand arrows.

"Great horse of the sky!" Shortstop exclaimed as one went flying by his head. "The mermaids have reverted to primitive weapons! They no longer need to kill us with ignorance!"

"Shut up and fly!" Calico bellowed, his wings moving even faster. "Or at least take an arrow to the neck. Then I can be spared your company."

The two pegasi kicked into an even higher gear, leaving the national park far below them. Once significant distance had been placed between them and the ground, Percy's grip on Alister relaxed. "I think we're good to continue," he muttered, leaning against the side of the vehicle.

The son of Athena rubbed his arm, concern on his face. "How did you know they were coming?"

"Hecate warned me."

"Excuse me?"

Percy recounted the conversation from that morning to Alister. The son of Athena paled at the mention of Lamia's name. "No... it can't be her," he murmured.

"You know of her?"

Alister covered his mouth with one hand. "Daughter of Hecate, and Queen of Libya, at one time. Until she decided to carry on an affair with Zeus. Hera cursed her, turning her into a snake-human hybrid. After killing her children, of course. In retaliation against the Queen of Olympus, Lamia cast her own curse: all demigods would attract monsters, lured by the scent of their godly heritage."

The news came down like a hammer. "Wait, so Lamia is the one we have to thank for that whole thing?" the son of Poseidon asked, stunned. Of all the monsters to cross paths with, why her?

Percy stared at Alister, the son of Athena at a loss for words. Neither one of them had been expecting to tangle with the creature responsible for nearly every problem demigods faced, all the way up to the modern day.

"But... I told you and Chiron that the woman who attacked me looked like a snake. Why didn't she come to mind sooner?" Percy questioned.

Alister's gaze hardened. "Because she was killed. Kinda takes her off the main suspects list, doesn't it?"

"The sarcasm is not needed," Percy grumbled. "And what did we learn from that whole mess with Gaea and the Doors of Death? Killing off monsters was just about impossible before; Thanatos being chained up did nothing to help matters," he added, remembering his quest to free Death itself.

"So, Lamia could have been resurrected while the Doors of Death were open?"

Alister didn't deny the possibility, which only confirmed Percy's idea. Not that he was happy about it.

"And she apparently has access to my dreams. She would have killed me, if Hecate hadn't stepped in," the son of Poseidon mentioned.

That got Alister's attention. "That's... not ideal. You can't just stay awake until we solve this."

"Thanks for that, child of wisdom. Never would have come to that on my own."

"Now who's the one being sarcastic?"

Percy wanted to tell Alister 'the handsome one', but the son of Athena's face was so serious, he couldn't look him in the eye. He didn't want to laugh though, at risk of being tossed out of the chariot, so he ended up biting down on his tongue.

Alister shook his head. "No? Fine with me," he said turning back to the reins. "I'll try to think of a way for us to deal with that dreaming problem on the way to California... and Percy?"

The son of Poseidon rose to his feet again. "Yes, Alister?"

The demigod pouted, before turning his head off to the side, so Percy couldn't see his face. "I... really am sorry about that whole cuddling thing. It won't happen again, I promise."

That was the second apology Alister had made about it in ten minutes. Why was he so bothered by it... and why was Percy not nearly as bothered by it as he probably should have been? The sight of seeing Hecate in the flesh had been so jarring, after being woken from a dream where he was actually being choked, Percy's mind hadn't registered everything the moment it had happened. But now, up here in the clouds, he could recall things with a lot more clarity.

In that moment, where Hecate had pointed out Alister to Percy, and the son of Poseidon had accused the goddess of hurting him, Percy's arm had wrapped around Alister's waist, and pulled him tighter to his chest. He'd threatened Hecate, and while the goddess was right to scoff at it, since he really couldn't do much to her in that state, he'd meant it. That kind of thing... was something he'd only really done for Annabeth before. But it was real. That anger... that threat... if Alister really had been hurt, he might have swung at Hecate. No. He would have. No 'might' about it.

"Alister?"

"Yes, Percy?"

"You have nothing to apologize for. And no promises that need to be made."


	8. A Reunion (Introduction?)

Percie felt her whole body tense as the words left Annabeth's mouth. "The enchantress wanted to... get rid of Percy entirely?"

Rachel grimaced. "Quite the plan, if that's what she was going for."

"But why to that extreme? What was holding her back from just trying to kill him, like every other monster with a grudge?"

Annabeth turned grave eyes to the daughter of Poseidon. "Because death would only end him there. But... if Percy ceased to exist, what would the world look like now?"

The other girls' jaws went agape at the realization. "If Percy never existed, odds are good Kronos destroys Olympus. The Romans had no idea about the attack; they couldn't fight on two fronts like that," Rachel whispered.

"Exactly," Annabeth continued. "Kronos wipes out Olympus, and Gaea rises not even a year later. The blood of a different demigod would have been required, but I'm sure the prophecy in question would have just selected another unlucky guy."

Percie had to sit back down, her mind struggling to digest this information. "So... Pe- I, would never be born. She... tried to remove the two of us from time, entirely."

"Could magic like that really exist?" Rachel demanded. The Oracle seemed to become more and more irate with every passing moment. "How on earth could anyone, even a god, affect the world like that?"

Sadly, it wouldn't be too hard for Percie to imagine it. "I might not have been her direct target, but I got caught up in the spell anyway," the daughter of Poseidon realized. "The only reason I'm here right now is because the spell itself went wild."

"Seaweed Brain," Annabeth murmured, her eyes far away. Percie could tell she was thinking about her boyfriend. As hapless as their current predicament was, it was only thanks to Percy that she hadn't been wiped from the universe without even being aware of it.

"Did she know about the second world, where this Percie is from?" Rachel asked. "The rage I felt in that vision... I wouldn't put it past her."

The daughter of Athena recovered, shaking her head. "Somehow, I doubt it. I have no idea how she could have learned of it, if she did. It seems more likely that her only real target was my Percy, and you-" she pointed at Percie, "got caught in the misfire."

Well, that didn't make the daughter of the sea feel any better. In fact, it only exacerbated her frustration. "So my being here is what? A mistake?" she asked, her voice growing cold.

Annabeth's response shook her out of it. "No. The exact opposite, actually."

"What?"

"Your being here is exactly the best thing that could have happened. Percy is the most qualified demigod on the earth when it comes to facing catastrophic events," Annabeth said, her voice unwavering. "From what I've seen and heard, the same title applies to you, Percie. The two of you may have been dropped into this situation without warning, but there's no doubt in my mind that both of you can overcome it."

Annabeth placed a hand over Percie's clenched fist. "We walked through Tartarus, Seaweed Brain. You honestly thought I'd give up on you because of a little mix-up?"

It was a good thing the daughter of Poseidon was sitting down, because she would have melted into a puddle of tears if she'd been standing. Not like her sitting down didn't mean there weren't tears at Annabeth's reassurance. Just that she didn't dramatically fall into the daughter of Athena's arms. That was Apollo's thing.

"You... moving little brainiac," Percie sniffled, rubbing her eyes. "How could I ever say no to you?"

"Ask me again when I tell you to clean out your car," Annabeth joked, cracking that smile again. Gods, Percie could have kissed her. Probably would have, if Rachel wasn't watching with a smile playing on the corner of her lips.

"You two are the sweetest," the Oracle teased, causing both demigods to lean back from each other to look at her. "What? I call it like I see it. Technically, I don't think it's cheating if the other person is literally your partner from another universe."

"Rachel!" both of them exclaimed, turning the same shade as a strawberry.

"Okay, I'll drop it. But keep making goo-goo eyes at each other, and I'll start again full-force."

Percie shuffled to her feet, letting go of Annabeth's hand. "I think I liked you better when you were all wild-eyed and green."

The Oracle only giggled. "Sure, Percie. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

The conversation was cut short a moment later when a beeping sound erupted over the mansion's alarm system. Cursing, Rachel jogged into the hallway outside of the kitchen, both demigods following her.

"Is someone trying to break in?" Annabeth asked when they stopped.

Rachel sneered as she clicked onto the system. "Not in the way you think. After that mess with the giants, I made a few... adjustments to the alarm, with some help from the Hunters and Chiron."

The Oracle scanned through a few shots of the mansion grounds before stopping. "Looks like we have visitors," she said, showing the screen to Percie and Annabeth. A horde of dracaena slithered across the manor's property line. By Percie's count, there appeared to be twelve of them.

"Guess you were right about that spell's lingering effects," the daughter of Poseidon intoned, pulling Riptide from her pocket. "Plans, Wise Girl?"

"Wait!" Rachel cut in, before Annabeth could speak. "They're coming up from the southeastern side of the property. There's a way we can sneak in behind them and take the whole group by surprise."

Both demigods blinked. "How?" Annabeth asked.

Rachel waved for them to follow her. "My dad got nervous after his last fundraising event got ransacked by the Hind, though he thought it was just a rabid deer. No one was hurt, but he decided to install an escape tunnel in the house in the case of any more surprise guests."

Percie was gobsmacked. "An escape tunnel? Where?"

They reached the ballroom in the back of the house, but there was no time to admire the architecture or the luxurious curtains. Rachel ran up to the piano, and played a trio of notes Percie didn't recognize. A second later, an entire portion of the wall folded in on itself, revealing a set of stairs leading downward.

Annabeth whistled. "That's... fantastic, actually."

Rachel shrugged. "The piano trick is too corny for my liking, but it's easy enough, I guess."

Percie broke into a wide grin. "I'm so trying that when I visit River again. I'll have to pretend I don't know, so his reaction when I 'accidentally' open the tunnel is good."

"I'll do my best to imagine it," Rachel responded, leading them down into the passageway. "It splits off, and can go in any direction. We know they're coming from the southeast, so this one is our best choice," she explained, taking the third path on the left and turning down into another smaller set of stairs.

Annabeth kept close to Percie's back while they snuck underground, her brow furrowed. "Where will we come up, exactly?"

"You know the well about one hundred yards from the driveway? That's where this one goes."

The daughter of Athena exhaled in annoyance. "A well? Really? What did your dad base his secret escape tunnel on, Clue?"

Despite her complaints, the system proved rather useful to their current problem. A few steps later, Rachel led them up a ladder, which opened out into the side of the stone well in her yard. Sure enough, the dracaena were ahead of them, crouching behind Percie's car, seemingly planning an ambush.

Percie had to hold back a chuckle. "Not the brightest attack strategy, is it?"

Rachel looked disappointed. "Guess I was expecting more from them. Shame."

Percie glanced over at Annabeth, who looked appalled at the monsters' poor choice of cover. If the girls actually did come out the front door, it wouldn't be hard to spot the mass of snake tails peering out from below Percie's car.

"I take six, you take six?" she asked the daughter of Athena, uncapping Riptide silently.

Annabeth slowly tugged her own sword free with a nod. Wait, sword?

"Where's your dagger?" Percie whispered.

"What dagger?"

"The one you used before you got the sword?"

The daughter of Athena looked bewildered by the question. "Why are you asking this now, of all times?"

"Alister uses a sword and a dagger together, not just a sword. I thought you'd be the same."

"Well, I'm not! I just use the sword, okay?"

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Ladies, you're both pretty. Please focus on the snake monsters; not your weapon preferences."

"Shut up, Rachel!" they both yelled at her. Yelled. When they were trying to be sneaky.

The dracaena all whirled around, expressions of surprise plastered over their faces. Clearly, they hadn't anticipated that their full-proof ambush could have been circumvented. That surprise only lasted for a second, though, before they recovered and charged, pointing spears at the three women.

"There goes the element of surprise!" Annabeth complained, pulling her blade. "This is your fault, Seaweed Brain!"

"Hey, blame the one who screamed at the top of her lungs when the game plan was stealth!"

"You did that, too, you bonehead!"

Despite their bickering, or maybe because of it, both demigods leapt forward to meet the charge of their enemies: Percie went over, Annabeth went under. Ironically enough, doing so ended up splitting the dracaena hoard in half, Percie's original idea.

The snake-women spun to face Percie as she landed, but she'd thrown off the focus of their charge by spinning them around. Somewhere, Alister smiled at her tactics. The thought filled the daughter of Poseidon with determination, and the dracanae nearest her dissolved into dust before she could lift her spear again. Riptide's first strike continued on its momentum, splitting another one of the monsters in half with a snick.

Out of the corner of her eye, Rachel went scrambling for the garage at the top of the driveway, presumably to find a hairbrush, or another suitable weapon. The remaining four dracaena facing her tried to use their weapons' reach to their advantage, jabbing at her from beyond her sword's range. But the daughter of Poseidon had fought alongside Romans. She had a counter.

Percie grabbed ahold of one of the spears just below the head, blocking the other three slashes with Riptide and her opponent's ensnared weapon. The long spears all got locked together, and Percie pressed her advantage, pushing the blunt end of the spear into the stomach of the monster unlucky enough to have gotten grappled. The dracanae panted as she got body-checked with her own weapon, and Percie used that to rip the spear clean out of her hands. The resulting force was enough to knock the other three back as well, two of whom had the misfortune to land on their backs instead of catching their balance.

That misfortune would be their end, as Percie skewered both at the same time, with her two weapons. Wielding a spear with a sword might have been unconventional, but the daughter of Poseidon thrived on unconventional. The now disarmed dracanae tried to grab one of her fallen sisters' weapons, only to get rewarded with Riptide in her neck as a reward. As she crumbled to dust, Percie turned to face the final snake-lady.

Now alone against a very well-armed demigod, the monster didn't look quite so confident. Gods love her, she did try. The spinning feint, followed by a low stab might have worked against a new legionnaire, or an actual child. But Percie was a veteran of two wars by this point. Blocking with Riptide, and striking with the spear, the sixth dracanae facing her was gone.

She wheeled to assist Annabeth, but saw that said assistance wasn't necessary. Annabeth had six neat little piles of dust scattered around her, and was watching the daughter of Poseidon with amused eyes. "I do believe I win that round," she said, grinning.

"Whoever said it was a competition?" Percie asked, trying to appear nonchalant.

"No one, but I have a feeling you thought you'd deal with your six first. That's what you get for showboating, Jackson."

If it was anybody else, she might have been embarrassed to be called out like that. But Alis- no, Annabeth, managed to make the jab playful.

"Oh, you wound me with your barbs, Chase."

"I try."

The sound of the garage of the manor drew their attention away, revealing Rachel holding what looked to be a bronze trash can lid. The Oracle's face fell when she saw the lawn clear of monsters. "Oh come on! I went to all that trouble of grabbing this for nothing?"

"Try being faster next time, Dare," Percie smirked, strutting up the driveway. "Here, keep this spear as a souvenir."

Rachel made a face as Percie tossed the weapon to her. "Yuck. No thanks! I'd rather clean up Mrs. O'Leary's trips to the bathroom."

Annabeth snickered, but pulled a straight face. "Nice work, ladies. Now, I do believe we have information that needs to get back to Chiron. Rachel, w-"

"I'm going with you," the Oracle said without hesitation. "Percy might be a hero for the ages, but I can't just sit back and wait for the day to be saved. Again."

"Hey, you did plenty of good. Don't sell yourself short," Percie argued.

"I threw a hairbrush at a Titan, and told a praetor to go to Europe. Not exactly the most thrilling resume."

Rachel wouldn't be persuaded otherwise, so that's how Annabeth found herself riding in the back seat on the way back to Camp Half-Blood. The Oracle had asked to drive, but Percie put her foot down on that one. Shotgun was the only compromise all sides seemed willing to agree to.

Mercifully, no other monsters attacked on the trip back. The evening light had since faded to a starry night sky, which made the camp look even more mysterious than it usually did. "I wonder if Lou Ellen apologized to Cecil for that handcuff accident," Rachel wondered as they pulled in.

The news that Percie and Annabeth were back, along with the Oracle, swept through the camp, resulting in the entire demigod population of the area hovering anxiously around the mess hall as the three delivered their report to Chiron.

No one looked pleased at Annabeth's theory that the sorceress behind this was trying to undo Percy Jackson himself, Chiron especially. "This is worrying," he commented. "We know the motive and the intent, but we still know nothing of the means, or the mastermind behind it all."

"Those clues don't narrow it down for you, either?" Percie asked.

The centaur shook his head. "I could wager a guess, but that's all they would be. And guesses are not going to cut it."

Further discussion was derailed when Mr. D came ambling into the mess hall, sipping more Diet Coke out of a plastic cup. "Ms. Palace, you're back. Hooray," he droned, not one ounce of sincerity in his voice. "Any luck in discovering your heritage, young lady?"

Annabeth and Chiron shared an unsure look with each other, and all the other demigods held their tongues. Percie groaned to herself, affixing the god of wine with a cheerful gaze. "Nope! Not yet, though I do have plenty of guesses myself. Chiron refuses to wager against them, though. I think he's scared of being out-bet, really."

Chiron managed an offended grunt at her false insult. "Quite, Miss... Castle," he said, remembering the fake name she'd given Dionysius.

The god of wine harrumphed at nothing in particular. "Well, somebody better hurry up. All of us swore on the Styx to claim every child at camp before they spent the first night, thanks to Mr. Jackson."

Did... Mr. D just get someone's name right? Granted, Percy technically wasn't here to hear it, but all of the demigods looked befuddled at the god. Percie could hardly believe it, either. Did Dionysus secretly respect her, too, when she wasn't around?

"I'm sure they're working on it, Mr. D," Annabeth soothed, looking nervous. "I'm sure Ophelia's parent is just... waiting for the appropriate moment."

The wine god scoffed. "If that was true, I'd call her a child of Apollo. But somehow I doubt Mr. Sunshine fathered someone as slippery as Ms. Palace."

Okay, this Dionysus didn't respect her, but she had insulted him to his face. Plus, he had no idea who she was. But slippery? Really?

"Maybe they're just savoring the moment before the big reveal," Percie offered. "Or dressing for the occasion, or preparing a big show with fireworks and guns? Oh, or they could be-" Percie's next words faded away as a bright green light erupted from behind her. The light shimmered and waved against the walls of the mess hall, casting the entire room in an aura of water. The light only grew brighter as an all-too familiar shadow emerged right behind her. "Or he's... right behind me, isn't he?"

Amidst the stunned faces of the mess hall, Dionysus included, no one spoke. The only answer Percie got was Annabeth giving the slightest of nods. Swallowing, Percie slowly spun around on her seat to face the man in the Hawaiian shirt, beach shorts, and flip-flops.

"Hi, Dad."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eat your heart out, Uncle Rick. There's a new King of Cliffhangers in town.


	9. The Waters Have Changed

"Anybody in the mood for Twenty Questions?"

Percy leaned over the railing of the chariot, staring at Calico in abject terror. The pegasus glanced back at the son of Poseidon, read his expression, then shook his head in dejection. "It was only an idea, guys. Flying cross-country gets boring if nobody wants to have any sort of conversation," the winged horse continued, glancing over at Shortstop for support.

The other pegasus didn't respond, staring straight ahead in fear. Percy couldn't blame the guy. As irritating as he had been during the first leg of the journey, getting shot at by sand monsters had sapped just about all of his spirit. Getting waylaid by that flock of gargoyles in Salt Lake City really hadn't helped matters. Alister ended up running most of the flying monsters over after knocking them out of the air, and poor Shortstop had been shaking like a leaf ever since.

"We're almost to our first destination, Calico. We can make it without any more chatter," Percy responded. Calico huffed at him, but didn't argue.

Alister, still at the reins, took a parting glance at his map. "I'm pretty sure we reached California about half an hour ago. We're not going to able to rest after picking up Janice, though."

The son of Poseidon and Calico both startled at that announcement. "But it's already so late," Percy said. The sun had set more than two hours ago, but Alister had shown no sign of wanting to slow down now that their visibility was shortened.

The son of Athena affixed Percy with a concerned look. "I've been pondering how we can combat that dream-invading Lamia demonstrated last night, and I think I have a solution, albeit a temporary one." 

"By all means, let's hear it."

"Janice is our first stop since she's closer than Malibu, but I think Peter is our best bet for keeping you safe in your dreams, for the first few nights, anyway," Alister explained, angling the reins so the chariot began a slight descent. "His charmspeaking might be enough to keep Lamia out of your head, at least for a bit."

Percy tilted his head in confusion. "Wait, so you're basically gonna have Peter lullaby me to sleep? And then what? Is he just gonna whisper in my ear the whole night to keep me from dreaming?"

Alister exhaled in exasperation. "Unless you managed to come up with something better, Seaweed Brain."

Percy wanted to argue the point, but he couldn't deny the possibility of it actually working. He'd seen Piper's skill firsthand; hey, the woman was able to put Gaea to sleep right after waking up for the first time in eons. Peter might not be the worst choice. It was either that, or track down some wayward child of Hypnos.

"I hope Peter doesn't mind giving his sleep schedule such a major upheaval," was all he said in answer. Alister sniffed.

"He'll probably jump at the chance, really. If it means he and Janice will be on different sleep schedules."

Oh, right. The breakup thing. Percy really hoped that didn't come cropping up at a bad time. Hey, he now had something to look forward to even less than Shortstop's Powerpoint on the benefits of electric cars.

Judging time was hard, without the sun to keep an eye on, but Percy guessed it was another half hour before Alister's grip on the reins meant they came coasting down on a side street next to a campus. "I take it this is Edgarton's?" Percy asked.

"If it isn't, I'm going to be having words with a mapmaker," Alister remarked, hopping off the chariot and taking in the view down the street. "I don't want to take the chariot any closer, where we might get blocked off by buildings. We're gonna have to walk to Janice's dorm."

One helpful Yankees' cap later, the chariot and pegasi vanished. Calico neighed nervously at watching his own body disappear, and even Shortstop seemed to be startled out of his reverie, anxiously tapping his hooves against the pavement. 

"Stay here, unless we call for you," Percy instructed, getting one half-hearted bray in affirmation.

Despite the darkness of the campus, Alister didn't seem to have any second guesses about their destination, leading Percy on a weaving path past various buildings. "Did you memorize the layout of the school, or something?" the latter asked.

"Of course I did; do you really want to knock on dorm rooms of a girls' school, asking for a specific one, in the middle of the night?"

Percy didn't have to answer that, and Alister left it there. He finally put a hand up outside of a smaller dorm, motioning for Percy to keep quiet. "She's up there; second floor, third window from the right," he whispered.

There weren't any lights on in the room, and neither boy wanted to risk getting caught on camera by going into the dorms directly, so they needed a way to get Janice down here. "Could we throw something?" Percy asked.

The son of Athena frowned. "And risk breaking the window? Someone's bound to hear it."

"Then what do you suggest, Wise Guy?"

Alister's eyes scanned the outside of the building, before they lit up. "No need to overcomplicate it; I'll just climb up. It's only the second floor."

The demigod unstrapped his sword and dagger, leaving them with the son of Poseidon. "Uh, what?"

"You heard me. I can use the holes in the bricks for a hold, and I am lighter than you anyway."

Before Percy could say any more, Alister went right up, his hands digging into the wall and yanking himself up to the window he'd pointed out. Was there anything that threw this guy for a loop? Or anything he did that didn't throw Percy for one?

The son of Athena lightly rapped his knuckles on the window frame, and based on his expression, he must have given whoever was in there a pretty good start. He motioned for them to come out, and then lowered himself back down, his feet hitting the ground soundlessly.

"She'll be right down," Alister assured him, running a hand through his hair. "I can take my weapons back now."

Dumbfounded, Percy handed the blades back without a word. Alister rearmed, then gave Percy a look. "Why are you staring at me like I just did something strange?"

"I've just never seen you- Annabeth, do something so... straight-forward," Percy stuttered.

Alister winced. "Didn't always. Had to learn that lesson the painful way." The son of Athena didn't elaborate further, and Percy couldn't recall any events from the years before where that seemed to be the thing Annabeth had taken away from an experience. If that was the case, then could he be referring to...

Percy thoughts had to be put on hold, since someone who looked quite familiar to the son of Poseidon came out the doors of the dorm, a dazed look on her face. The darkness of the night made noticing exact details difficult until she was close, but once she was, it was obvious. Blonde hair, tied into a loose ponytail that hung over her shoulder. She was tall for a woman, matching Alister in height, and her eyes could have given the sky a run for its money in the blue department.

"Alister, have you finally lost it? Do you have any idea how close I was to blasting you in the face with lightning until I realized it was you?" Janice asked the son of Athena, both of her hands crossing over her chest.

Alister rolled his eyes. "Considering you were hanging off your bed with only half your body, my guess is it would have taken about ten full seconds for you to recognize any real threat and react to it."

The daughter of Jupiter cracked a bemused grin. "Is your opinion of me really so low? I thought we were closer than that."

"You have a nasty habit of taking blows to the head and getting stabbed in the back, Janice."

Yeah, that sounded like Jason, if the appearance and location wasn't enough by now.

Janice pouted at Alister's words, before grinning again. "Oh, it's fine. I can't stay mad at you; not after the Argo. Really, I'm glad you showed up when you did. Academia can be a real pain on its own, before taking the disguised monsters into account."

Percy raised his hand, hoping to jump in. "Was it the math teacher, or the music teacher?" he asked.

Janice blinked at him, apparently really seeing him for the first time. "Both, actually. How'd you know?"

"Firsthand experience."

The daughter of Jupiter nodded, then squinted at Percy. "Uh, don't take this wrong way, friend, but do we know each other? I can't shake the feeling that I've run you into before, but the name escapes me."

Alister rubbed his eyes, leaving Percy with the honors this time. "About that... uh, we may need to take this conversation to the sky," the son of Poseidon offered, suddenly feeling very exposed standing out in the open night air.

Janice blinked, but agreed. Alister retraced their steps to the chariot, where Percy was treated to a very expletive-laced tirade from Shortstop. The pegasus's words were quite the jumbled mess of swears, but the gist of it seemed to be that he would not be putting in a good word to the pegasus union any more.

"Well, someone sounds cranky," Janice remarked, without Percy's translation.

Alister shrugged. "We've been flying all day. I think he's just touchy, honestly."

"All day?" Janice asked, her guard coming up. "I haven't asked, but I take it something's going on? I doubt either one of you would come knocking on my window in the middle of the night just for a chat in the air."

Percy breathed to himself, and as Alister clicked the reins for the chariot to take to the sky, he told her.

Her reaction was something he'd come to expect at this point.

"Uh....... huh?" Janice mumbled, as Percy told her who he was. "You're... Percie?"

"Only in a sense," the son of Poseidon admitted, before going into the greater details: Lamia, the swap, the traveling to California, Hecate. Janice's expression got even more weirded out as he finished, and she turned to Alister immediatly.

"How are you holding up from all this?" she asked him, putting a hand to his shoulder.

The son of Athena took a moment, then forced whatever emotion was coming up down. "I... have been better, but I can't slow down now," he said, flicking the reins. "We're heading to Malibu, so Peter can try to counter Lamia's dream-murder."

Janice's brow fluttered at the mention of Peter, but she didn't remove her hand. "You haven't been sleeping, have you?"

Percy felt like slapping himself after Janice said that. Alister had been rubbing his head and eyes almost nonstop the last few hours. How could he have missed that? 

"You heard me, Janice. There's things to be done if we want Percie back, and sleeping-" Alister tried to say.

"She'd want you to take care of yourself. She'll never let you hear the end of it if she found out you put yourself at risk on her behalf."

Alister didn't have a comeback to that. Percy knew Annabeth wouldn't have, either. And just like Percie, he'd be wracked with guilt if he learned she'd put herself into a crisis position because she didn't let herself sleep in her quest to find him.

The son of Athena lowered his head, his grip on the reins relaxing. Janice coaxed the controls out of his hand into hers. "I know the way to Malibu," she said gently. "I can steer; you, get some rest."

His fight sapped away, Alister slumped down to the bottom of the chariot. Pretty much the moment his head rested against the side, he was out. Now Percy felt even worse. Gods, was he this bad with Annabeth? Alister must have been running on the barest of fumes, to be that exhausted.

Janice let out a sad breath, seeing him fall asleep. "Poor thing. He's never been good about showing weakness in front of others," she commented, turning to Percy. "Is... your Alister like that?"

"She's gotten better when it's just the two of us, but add others into the mix, and it's a different story," Percy admitted. Even though Janice wasn't quite as tall as Jason, she still commanded the same sense of leadership he'd always gotten from the son of Jupiter. It would be all too easy to tell her everything at once.

Alister shifted in his sleep, his leg brushing against Percy's. A second later, he did it again.

Janice grimaced. "He needs rest, but it can't be too comfortable, leaning against a chariot like that. Did you guys pack anything that could work as a pillow?"

Percy went through the bags, shaking his head. "Nothing I see here. Neither one of us could have predicted Lamia and her persistence, so we didn't plan for awkward sleeping places."

The son of Athena rolled over, his head pressing up against the base of the chariot's side. That would hurt when he woke up. Maybe it was time to learn the same lesson Alister had mentioned, and not overthink his solution.

Moving Alister's legs to the side, Percy slid in next to the son of Athena, so his back was to the side of the chariot as well. Being as careful as he could with the sleeping demigod's body, he leaned Alister's head up against the crook of his own neck. Alister let out a contented sigh, his arms automatically wrapping around Percy's side.

Janice studied the two boys with an unreadable expression. "Yeah, I guess that would work," she finally said, looking back to the front. "Try not to fall asleep yourself, though. I'd hate to have to kick you awake to save you from Lamia."

"Oh, you would, Grace? I think you might relish the chance," Percy threw back, his own arm resting on Alister's shoulder. 

The daughter of Jupiter chuckled. "Jackson, you might look different, but I can safely say you're still just as fun to talk to."

The two demigods went back and forth for a good amount of time, and Percy didn't know they had reached Malibu until Janice brought them down with ease. "Welcome to the McLean beach house," the daughter of Jupiter announced with a rather forced enthusiasm. She picked up the bags, loading them on her shoulders. "I'll get these; you take Alister. Let's not wake him now."

Janice unharnessed the pegasi, who trotted down to the beach for the night without any added comments. Meanwhile, Percy lifted Alister in a bridal-carry, getting a good view of the McLean home. Not as big as the Dare mansion, but about twice as luxurious, if such a thing was possible. Being a Hollywood star did have its perks.

"Will Peter be up?" Percy asked, meeting up with Janice in front of the door.

The daughter of Jupiter shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. But his dad is in Vancouver for some film shoot, so at least we'll get the house to ourselves."

Janice pressed the doorbell, then delivered two sharp knocks to the door. "That means it's me, plus some other demigods," she explained to Percy. The son of Poseidon hoped Peter was quick; Alister, while lean, wasn't exactly the lightest of demigods, and he didn't want to drop the son of Athena on his head.

About twenty seconds passed before the door finally opened. Yet again, the resemblance was uncanny; bright eyes, olive skin, and brown hair worn long on one side, shaved on the other. "Janice," the son of Aphrodite acknowledged, his voice steady. "What's go- Alister?"

Peter's eyes widened at the sight of Percy carrying the sleeping son of Athena. "Is everything all right?" he asked, his voice rising.

Janice took the chance to step into the house. "He's fine, just sleeping. Percy, find one of the guest rooms and get Alister settled. I'll fill Peter in on the situation."

Percy hopped to it, only lingering just long enough to hear Peter mutter "Percie?" to himself before he entered as well, leaving the other demigods behind. The beach house was huge, but thankfully Tristan McLean was a believer in common-sense architecture. The guest rooms were off to the side of the house, all tucked into a single hallway. The son of Poseidon picked one at random, shutting the door behind him.

The room was nice, decorated with animal patterns on the sheets and curtains. The bed itself was nothing to sneeze at, either; how many guest beds could be described as 'emperor-sized'?

Alister didn't stir whatsoever as Percy hung his weapons on the closet door, or managed to finesse him under the blanket. The son of Athena did seem to wiggle in disappointment when Percy pulled his arms off his neck, though. Once Alister was taken care of, Percy slid down into a chair in the room, his own exhaustion starting to weigh at him. Granted, he'd only gotten into a single fight that day with the gargoyles, but traveling in a chariot for the better part of sixteen hours could be murder on your feet.

Once that weight was off, though, a new one hit the son of Poseidon full-force. How oblivious could he be? Alister must have been teetering on the brink of collapse for several hours by the time they met with Janice, and he still had no idea about it. Yet Janice pointed it out less than five minutes after meeting up with him. She'd only known him for what, seven or eight months by this point? He'd had five years!

"Um, you knew Annabeth for five years, not Alister," the voice in his head corrected.

Did it really matter at this point? They were so close, they might as well be interchangeable.

"Is that why you had no problems with him cuddling you, then? You don't see it as being any different than cuddling with Annabeth?" it offered.

No... maybe... he didn't know! Who could? All he knew was that Alister was putting everything on the line for both his own Percie and the son of Poseidon. How could he not look out for the son of Athena with that in his mind?

"You had no problem not looking out for Nico when he did the same for you, right?"

The son of Poseidon jerked at that, sitting up rigidly. What had just brought that on?

He waited for the voice to speak again, but it was frustratingly silent now. Nico... gods, he didn't want to have to worry about that on top of everything else going on. "If- when I get back to my own world," Percy thought, "I need to apologize to him. I'll need to apologize to a lot of people, actually."

"Percy?"

Peter cracked open the door to the guest room, sticking his head in. "Janice brought me up to speed. It's... a lot to take in this time of night, so I'd appreciate it if you could bear with me," the son of Aphrodite added with a pained expression.

"No problem; I get that, fully," Percy answered, standing up. "She told you about Alister's suggestion?"

A grim nod was his answer. "I can do my best; that's all I can offer right now," Peter said, opening the door fully. He was stirring a cup of coffee in his hands, a determined look in his eyes. "Let's find you a room, and we'll get to work."

Janice met them in the hallway, offering Percy a pleasant grin, but avoiding eye contact with Peter. She slid into one of the unoccupied guest rooms, closing the door behind her.

"In here," Peter told Percy, opening the door to another one. The son of Aphrodite turned a hurt eye to Janice's door, but didn't say anything. Percy wanted to say something about it, but his own body was aching for sleep.

Percy's room, ironically enough, seemed to be ocean-themed, if the seashells on the wardrobe and the waves painted on the corners of the walls were anything to go by. "I don't think you're gonna have any trouble putting me to sleep, Peter," Percy told him, laying down.

The demigod smirked. "I could have you crowing at the moon like a rooster on the roof if I wanted, but luckily, my cruelty is limited by my responsibilities," he responded, settling into a chair. "Keeping Lamia out of your head is gonna be the real test."

The son of Poseidon offered a thumbs-up. "If anyone can, it's you, sweet-talker."

Peter made a face. "I hope my female version doesn't actually let you call her that."

"Oh, no. I just call her completely terrifying."

"Better."

Peter sipped his coffee, then leaned in to whisper in Percy's ear. The son of Poseidon made it about as far as the fourth word of 'tired' before his eyes rolled closed, and Hypnos took him.


	10. Sink Or Swim

Percie had to admit it: Some gods knew how to make an entrance. Not all, mind you. Hades showing up at the Battle of Manhattan with an undead army? Great example. Ares dropping in for Elena's birthday party by parachute, which proceeded to get caught on the arena's outer rim, leaving the war god hanging like a banana? A lot less impressive. And annoying to deal with.

So she could at least respect Poseidon showing up with a light show. Apollo surely would have recommended some sort of epic chorus singing in the background, but her dad had made it clear he wasn't a fan of musical accompaniment. Not like that made the situation any less nerve-wracking.

"Lord Poseidon," Chiron said slowly, not moving from his spot at the head of the mess hall. "You... honor us with your presence."

The sea god didn't answer. His eyes were focused entirely on Percie, who felt a sudden desire to crawl under the table and hide. The demigod felt like she and her father got along well, better than a lot of kids did with their godly parent, but that didn't mean she was immune to his ire. If the look in his pupils were anything to go by, Poseidon seemed to be alternating between hugging her, or blasting her into a puddle of seawater. The worse part is, she didn't know which she'd prefer to the other.

"Sooooo...," Dionysus finally said, rocking back and forth on his heels. "Old Barnacle Beard went and had two, did he?"

That finally was enough to get the sea god's attention. "Excuse me?" he rumbled.

"I really should have seen it, now that I think about it. The green eyes, the black hair, the crummy attitude. She's got 'ocean' written all over her," the wine god mused, drinking the last of his Diet Coke. "Guess someone's got to tell Percy he's got another sister; who wants to draw straws for i-"

Poseidon must have teleported, because he went from right in front of Percie to across the hall before she even had a chance to register the movement. Looking over, she was treated to the sight of her father literally backing Mr. D into a corner.

"No one will tell Percy anything," he growled at the wine god. "And no one will tell anything about this to the rest of the gods, either. In fact, no is going to mention this to anyone whatsoever, no matter who they may be. Is. That. Clear?"

For the first time since meeting him, Dionysus looked genuinely rattled. Percie could relate; she hadn't been the focus of that speech, but if she had been, no doubt she would have melted into a sad puddle of Percie-goop. Most demigods would have.

The ocean god maintained his posture for a few more seconds before turning back around, facing the rest of the mess hall. His gaze swept over the room, before he closed his eyes, letting out a frustrated exhale. "Chiron, I ask forgiveness for the... suddenness of my arrival, but I must speak to my... daughter... alone."

The centaur bowed his head. "Of course, sir. We can clear out."

"No, no need for that. The two of us can go. I'd hate to put you all out for something like this."

Percie blinked. It was rare for a god to be so... gracious to a group of demigods. Sure, she'd talked to her dad about the Olympians trying to curb their more hardened edges, but this was a different Poseidon. She'd been expecting... well, not that.

"We can go to the cabin," she said, rising from her seat.

Poseidon raised no objections to that suggestion, so neither did Chiron. Before she left, Percie made eye contact with Annabeth. The daughter of Athena's expression was a mix of anticipation and support, so at least Percie could focus on the matter on hand. The walk back to the cabin was awkward, to say the least. Poseidon didn't turn to glance at her once the entire way back, which only gave Percie more alone time in her head. Images of people being turned into pufferfish made her want to call for Blackjack and fly away, but there was no running from this.

Poseidon reached the door first, and opened it without going in, his expression clear that he wanted her to enter first. It was either a gentlemanly gesture, or a threat, or both. Percie's money was on both.

At least Percy seemed to have the exact same taste as her when it came to organizing the Poseidon cabin. The beds were pushed off to the walls, with the saltwater fountain taking up most of the space on the main floor. Percie made herself comfortable on one of the bunk beds, while Poseidon waved his hand, causing a rocking chair made of sea shells to materialize. As her dad sat down, the demigod was struck by how human he really looked in this light. With his shaved beard, dorky shirt, and flip flops, he looked like some middle-aged newlywed enjoying his honeymoon at St. Kitts.

"Sorry about the mess; I would have tidied up if I knew you were coming," she commented, hoping Poseidon was in a laughing mood. He wasn't.

"I'm surprised that you can find the time and the willpower to make wisecracks at a time like this, daughter," he muttered, lacing his hands under his chin. The sea god leaned forward, his movement apparently increasing the water pressure inside the fountain. Guess Percy had found time to repair it after cutting it in half. Percie was still putting that one off.

"So... how much do you know?" Percie finally asked.

"About as much as you might expect," he answered. "Imagine my shock when I get a visit from Hecate, of all people. She blabbed about not having much time to sweat the finer details, but told me to talk to you for the full story. That was the second big shock of the day; I have not been the most attentive father, but even I keep track of my children. You... are not one I remember having."

The demigod's face was a sheepish one at that statement. "I guess the most accurate response would be... you didn't." It all came spilling out: the spell, the switch, Rachel, and everything in between. Percie really ought to have been used to it by now, but this was her dad. And she had to tell him not only was he now responsible for another child, but his favorite son had been ripped away to an unknown fate.

The god listened attentively, his face a mask of calm. Percie knew how deceiving the ocean could be, though; one minute everything's fine, the next you're fighting for your life. Her father was the reason for that. His mood could change on a dime, for the slightest reason.

When she finished, that expression didn't change immediatly. "I see," was all he said.

Poseidon chewed on this information, his chair rocking back and forth. His trident appeared next to him, and he absentmindedly grabbed it with his right hand, draping it over his lap. The longer she waited, the more antsy Percie got. Her dad usually wasn't the quiet sort. More of a 'tsunami smash' kind of god.

"Then, both of you filled the same role, in the prophecies?" he asked out of the blue.  
\  
"Uh, yeah, I think so. I fought Kronos in the throne room. He did too, right?"

"Yes, he did." Poseidon crossed his legs, shifting his trident so it was resting under his arm. "Did you sit on my throne, too?"

Of course he still remembered. "Yeah, I did that too."

The god made a sound in his throat that sounded like a combination of a chuckle and a sneer. "Did I almost kill you before I realized who you were?"

The memory still made Percie shiver. "A few more seconds, and I probably would have internally combusted. Somehow."

"No, not internal combustion. That's more Hephaestus's thing. I would have just flattened you with a giant yacht. Much cleaner," the god responded, finally giving her a small grin and a wink.

Thank the Fates, he just made a joke! Percie could feel her tension decrease by more than ninety percent with that little gesture.

"I appreciate your commitment to keeping the throne room of Olympus from getting too splattered, war or no war," she laughed back. The laugh was returned, which sapped the rest of her tension away completely.

They both composed themselves, Poseidon standing to his feet. "So, you're really him, huh?"

"In a way. But I like to think I'm at least a little better looking, right?"

"As the father to both of you, I cannot answer that without it being creepy."

"Fair enough."

Her dad was actually making her feel better, despite the situation. "So, Hecate was the one who told you something was up with me and Percy?"

The sea god nodded. "Dropped in, shouted a few curses about wild magic, and told me Percy was involved. Said I needed to check in at camp."

Percie returned his nod. "But... how did she know about it? We were trying to keep everything quiet until we knew more about what we were dealing with."

Poseidon thought about it. "She probably got clued in by whatever crazy spell you mentioned, and did her own investigation. Hecate's mind seemed to be... scattered, when she spoke to me, so odds are she's running herself haggard trying to counter it. We'd be best keeping out of her hair for the moment."

The demigod shrugged. "Fair enough. If anyone's got the know-how to fix this, it would be her."

"Fixing is a very strong word. I'd say she's just holding it together. With duct tape."

Magic duct tape sounded simultaneously like the best and worst invention of all time, but Percie ignored the potential entrepreneurial opportunity. "So she's got an idea of what's going on, and she told you because it was your kids involved?" she guessed.

Poseidon's gaze stretched. "Presumably. Rather kind of her, if it's true. She didn't have to, though I am grateful she did."

"Grateful? You?"

Her dad actually looked a little hurt by that. "Yes, grateful. Percie," he said, putting a hand to her shoulder, "I know how disappointing it can be; we, can be. We do love our children, as much as we tend to forget to show it."

Percie placed her own hand over his, not moving it. "I know, and it means a lot that you guys have been trying harder since Kronos. But... trying isn't always enough. For every demigod we've been able to help recently, there's another ten that slip away. We can't do everything, just like you."

Her words must have been striking the right chords, because the sea god pulled his daughter into an embrace, one of the first ones in a long time. It was startling, to be hugged by her father so suddenly like that, and Percie choked on her words. Gods, she did not want to cry in front of her dad right now.

"I'm okay," she tried to mumble through the hug, but her own voice tremor betrayed her. Either Poseidon had learned how to control a person's tear ducts, or she'd been secretly missing her dad more than she wanted to admit.

"I know you are," he reassured her, his hug only getting stronger. "But that doesn't mean you're not allowed to feel less than perfect all the time. You've seen too much for someone your age, Percie."

"Is this for me, or for your son?"

"Both of you. When Hecate told me something had happened to him... I may have acted a little harshly to her in return," he admitted. "She had the decency to tell me, and I snapped at her for it. I may regret my actions now, but I know that won't undo it."

"You could always apologize when you see her again," Percie pointed out.

"Apologies amongst the gods... Percie, the others wo-"

"Learn to accept it!" she insisted, her hands curling into fists. "Grudges have been the bane of many a demigod's life! Fighting for squabbles that aren't theirs! We've died for you and your pathetic arguments." Percie's tears didn't subside as she continued. "Is your pride really so fragile that it can't be bothered to apologize? What are the others gonna do? Tease you about it? Why do their words mean so much to you?!"

Poseidon didn't answer. His eyes narrowed, but he just sighed. "Percie... I can admit the wisdom in what you say, but you're asking us to completely defy our natures. Such a thing is hard enough for mortals; how do you think immortals fare in that regard?"

"So that's enough to not even try?" Percie asked, her voice hard.

"This... is not the conversation I wanted to have with you," he answered.

"Then what? Why are you here?"

The sea god pursed his lips. "Because I wanted to make sure my son was safe. Because I didn't want him to get embroiled in something that could... take him away from me. I didn't have a say the first two times; we can't fight prophecies, without making things worse. But there was no prophecy stopping me from acting this time."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I would have stood between him and any madman foolish enough to try either of us," the god said, his voice steady. "Percy, like all of you, deserves more. And better. I came here to give him that."

Percie's mouth dropped, to her embarrassment. She'd never seen her father look so resolute. She fully believed him. Zeus preserve her, she believed her dad's words.

"He might not be here now, but you are," Poseidon continued. "Allow me to extend the same offer. If you need me, for anything, all you have to do is ask," he finished, reaching into his pocket and producing a sand dollar. "Take this. It's essentially an instant-message for those in my court. Throw it into any body of water, no matter the size, and I'll come."

Percie handled the tiny trinket with delicate hands. She... had her dad in her corner. A corner he could actually defend openly. And he'd do it without any strings attached. "I... thank you."

Poseidon's gaze softened. "You don't need to thank me. I'm just doing something I should have done a long time ago." The sea god kissed Percie on her forehead, and headed for the door.

"Dad?" Percie whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Yes, Percie?"

"I know I'm not what you were expecting, but I'm close. Percy may not exactly be me, but may I make a request on his behalf?"

Poseidon nodded.

"Stop by, and see him when he's back. On a more regular basis, I mean. I know relationships between gods and their kids can be complicated, but I'm sure he'd appreciate seeing you more. Just to know you're in his corner, at least."

The sea god gave her a smile full of sorrow. "I can do that. No problem. Thank you, daughter."

With that, he was gone.

Percie flopped down on her bed, tears now fully streaming down her face. Sure, she could have used some of her own powers to keep her face dry, but she didn't want to. The daughter of Poseidon had a lot of feelings she needed to let out. And let them out she did.

She must have cried herself to sleep at some point, because her mind registered that she was dreaming when she looked up and found herself in the middle of a crowded street. The sun was up, allowing her to see that the city in question was by no means New York. The streets were too wide, and the buildings weren't tall enough. Pressing herself for whatever craziness was going to be awaiting her, she rose to her feet and began walking.

None of the mortals registered her as being there, assuring her that this was a dream. Percie followed her gut, winding through some side streets before coming out on a sight even she recognized; the Liberty Bell. So this was Philadelphia.

The scene shifted; Percie was transported to outside the city, alongside the river that seemed to go through Philly. The name of the river didn't spring to mind, but knowing New England, it was probably unpronounceable by someone who hadn't grown up in the area. Percie traveled along the river's coast, until she came upon a campsite. A blonde boy was sitting down outside a tent, his hands fiddling with a package of bandages.

Percie angled herself closer to the unknown teen, knowing enough about her dreams to figure this guy had to be important for her to be focused on him. If he was a demigod, she probably knew a female version of him from her own world. Percie ran the possibilities through her head, eliminating people as they came to her. Blonde was a big help, and the boy didn't look angry or sullen enough to be one of the Romans. So from Camp Half-Blood, then. Now, who did she know was blonde, a woman, and a healer?

"Willamina!" Percie announced out loud, to no response from the boy. Okay, so this wasn't really happening. She'd said that loud enough to wake the dead... oh gods, why did she think of that phrase? If this was Willamina's counterpart, then that could only mean...

The tent the boy was sitting with his back to shifted, and a moment later, another boy stuck his head out, looking annoyed. Good grief, was this kid a perfect match for Nicola. He even had her shaggy hair!

"You're supposed to be sleeping," Will said, not bothering to look back at his boyfriend. "Give it another few hours."

"I'm ready now," Nico insisted, crawling out of the tent. "It's not a huge jump; we're just going from Philadelphia to New Orleans."

"Last time you said that, you overshot it, and dropped us off at that baby shower in St. Paul," the son of Apollo shot back. "We didn't even have a gift! Do you know how embarrassing that was? Not as bad as the cheese factory, granted, but I have enough nightmares about delivering Hedge's kid without being reminded of it."

Gods, they were so cute. Nice to see that hadn't changed.

The son of Hades rolled his eyes at Will. "The women at that baby shower were smitten with you. Just be happy I didn't accidentally raise an army of dead children when that girl asked you to dance with her."

"You did raise an army of dead children!"

"Yeah, but on purpose! I said accidentally."

As fun as it was watching these two, Percie had to wonder why her dreams were showing her this. It wasn't happening this moment, since it seemed to be around early nightfall in her dream. So this was either going to happen, or had happened already.

Will was about to chastise Nico again, but his eyes were drawn to something else on the other side of the river. Looking over, Percie spotted what had gotten his attention. A woman, wearing a white robe that hung past her ankles. It was too far to make out her face, but Percie would swear she knew this woman from somewhere.

"Who's she?" she heard Nico ask, before the woman raised her arms, and the dirt around the two demigods began to swirl under their feet.

"What th-?" the son of Hades managed to blurt out before he was buried up to his neck in the soil. Will suffered a similar fate not a second later. With a flourish, the woman snapped her fingers, and the two demigods vanished under the ground. Flabbergasted, Percie tried to march across the river, but found herself held back by an unknown force. The woman looked directly at her, and chuckled.

"You want them back, daughter of Poseidon? You know where to find me," she called out, and with a flick of her wrist, Percie shot up in her bed, wide awake. Oh, dear. That was no accident of a dream. And Percie knew exactly who it was she had just seen abduct Nico and Will.

She had no time to stop and think; the sorceress would not be patient with her captives. The daughter of Poseidon leapt to her feet, grabbing the sand dollar her dad had given her, as well as a few small provisions of ambrosia. With that, she sprinted for the pegasus stables.

"Percie!' Blackjack cried as she ran in. "Kind of early for a visit, though. Oh, is this a doughnut run?"

"No time, Blackjack!" she said, hopping onto the pegasus. "We need to get to Philadelphia; now!"

"And why are you headed for Philadelphia?" Annabeth asked, stepping into the stable and scaring Percie nearly to death.

"Gah! How long have you been there?" she bleated out.

"I figured this is where you'd come if anything came to you in your dreams. You wouldn't stop by the Athena cabin and tell me, because you wouldn't want to risk my safety," Annabeth responded, her voice a monotone.

"You're good."

"So what did you see?"

"Oh, nothing too shocking. The Liberty Bell, some river, oh!- and Nico and Will getting abducted."

Annabeth's eyes widened. "Abducted?!"

"Yeah, and you'll never guess by who."

"Then tell me."

Percie sneered as she thought about the woman's taunting voice, and the look of conceit on her face. She'd seen it only once before, and once had been enough. "Circe. She's back."


	11. The Perils of Friendship

For maybe the first time in his life since being claimed by Poseidon at twelve, Percy slept without dreaming. There were no visions of calamity, no painful flashbacks, no nightmares where he found himself standing naked in the Olympian throne room. That last one was the worst, bar none. And he'd had it more times than he cared to remember.

No. For once, Percy Jackson got to enjoy the feeling of oblivion. A warm, velvety blackness, that wrapped him in a cocoon of nothingness, and didn't unwind until he finally started to wake up. For a very brief moment, his grogginess meant he had no idea where he was. The warmth was still there, but light had replaced the darkness of his sleep. He had to blink several times before he remembered he was in the McLean beach house. A fact that became apparent when his eyes finally snapped into focus, revealing a very spent Peter McLean leaning back in the chair next to the bed, round spots under his brow.

"Did it work?" the son of Aphrodite asked, his hands clenched tightly to the arms of the chair.

It took Percy a moment to register what he was talking about. "Oh, the charmspeaking thing! Yeah, I think so. No dreams at all."

Peter threw both of his arms up into the air in triumph, though the action seemed to drain him of whatever energy he had left in his tank. "That's all I needed to hear. Good night- er, morning, Percy." With that, Peter was out of there, presumably headed for his room.

Geez, he did not want to stick around. Granted, he had spent however many hours had passed without rest, constantly whispering into Percy's ear to keep Lamia away. The coffee cup on the table next to the bed was drained, and Percy realized how much the son of Aphrodite had really put into his safety for the entire night.

Just another person he was going to have to thank profusely before this was all done.

Percy slipped out of bed and into the hallway, not spotting anyone else on his way into the bathroom. Sure, he could have just instantly dried himself after taking a shower, but Percy's bones ached. Out of pain due to the battles of the previous days, or the strain this situation was putting on his mind and emotions, he couldn't tell. All he knew was that he soaked into the hot water for as long as he could.

Redressing, the son of Poseidon passed by Alister's room. A small voice in the back of his mind told him to check in on the son of Athena, but he didn't. Alister was most likely already up, so checking on him would be a waste of a moment. Instead he pressed on, leaving the hallway and walking into the main living space of the first floor.

It seemed Peter hadn't had the strength to make it back to his room. The son of Aphrodite had fallen face-first onto the massive sofa spread out in front of the plasma TV, and was snoring soundly. He deserved the rest, so Percy needed to find somewhere else to lurk.

That somewhere else ended up being the upstairs hallway. Percy had been getting the full layout of the house when he heard some voices coming from what appeared to be a home-theater. Before he could stop himself, Percy perched himself right outside the door, next to a window that was open out to the beach side of the house.

"Does he seem trustworthy?" Janice's voice asked from the room.

Alister's delivered the response. "He saved my life in Indiana, when it would have been all-too easy not to. He might grind my gears sometimes, but I'd trust him. With my life."

The daughter of Jupiter appeared to blanch at that. "You? You'd trust him to that extent? After knowing him for what... two days?"

"Three, counting this one. But you raise a good point. I know my own nature, Janice. Trust is something I've handed out far too generously in the past; I paid the price for it. All Greek demigods did. But... he's different."

"In what way?"

"It's... almost scary how alike Percie he really is. The attitude, the way he carries himself, the absolutely frustrating way he manages to annoy me in more ways than one... it's like she never really vanished."

Percy had to jam his knuckles against his mouth to keep from making noise. So he wasn't crazy! He wasn't the only one getting completely wrung out by how close to Annabeth Alister was. The reveal managed to both relieve and unnerve the son of Poseidon. How very apt for what his relationship with Annabeth had started as.

Janice spoke again: "I get that. That conversation we had on the chariot... if you'd blocked out the voice and just focused on the words, I would have sworn I was speaking with Percie. But with that... what are you leading up to, Alister?"

The son of Poseidon crouched closer to the door to the theater, awaiting the answer with bated breath. Gods, why was he so nervous? This was Alister. What could he possibly say that co-

"Maybe it's best I tell him myself. Percy, you can come in."

And... there went his breath. Out in a gasp. Well, more of a gargle. A choke, really. Percy sputtered on air as he heard Alister call him out. Caught in the act, Percy's face had turned a beet shade of red as he walked into the theater, a double-dose of embarrassment at being caught eavesdropping and choking on nothing not helping his dignity.

Even worse, upon entering the theater, he found Alister sitting with his back to the door, still not even looking back at him. Janice was sitting across from the son of Athena, her expression making it clear she was just as shocked at seeing Percy as he was at being called out.

Alister sighed, still not turning around. "Thank you, Janice, for listening. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to speak to Percy alone."

The daughter of Jupiter slowly rose from her chair, her face bedazzled with surprise. She nodded, then promptly left, shooting Percy an even more confused look before she did.

Alister gestured at the chair she'd just abandoned. "Please, sit."

"How did you know I was there?" Percy finally managed to form words again as he sat opposed to Alister.

"I'm tempted to say I smelled your snark, just to see your reaction, but that would be false," Alister admitted, a coy smile on his face. "But the truth: There's a window right outside this theater's entrance. You noticed it, right?"

Percy nodded.

"That window faces the ocean, and this time of the morning, there's a very consistent breeze that flows into the window from the west. I've been feeling it on the back of my neck ever since I sat down in here. When that breeze stopped, for an extended period of time, I naturally concluded that something must be blocking it, and the most obvious answer was you."

He said it so matter-of-factly, not an ounce of bragging anywhere in that speech. Did this happen often, and Percy was just too distracted by his own thoughts to notice it?

"Is that something your Annabeth doesn't do often?" Alister asked, when Percy failed to respond in a timely manner.

"Not usually when I'm around, at least," he mumbled. "Either that, or she just doesn't voice it aloud to me. That second option is most likely."

"Why is that?"

"Because she doesn't feel the need to prove herself around me. We're comfortable with each other; neither one of us goes out of the way to impress the other. We just... communicate, and enjoy the other's company."

Alister's smile dimmed a little. "Is that communication ever... difficult?"

"It can be. But we've been through too much together to let it fail, now. Just because something is hard doesn't mean you can't still work through it," Percy offered. "I think you and your own Percie can attest to that."

The son of Athena's gaze fell onto the table, his hands wrapping together. "I wish I could have done more... I wish I did do more," he said, his voice sinking. "So many things I still needed to say, things I wanted to do with her. Gods, I didn't even tell her I loved her before she left that day," Alister realized, his eyes widening.

"You didn't have to."

"What?!"

Percy took a breath, trying to keep his heart from palpitating right onto the floor. He couldn't afford to let his words get the best of him here. He needed to be precise. "I heard you tell Janice just how similar the two of us are. I agree with you, based on how close you and Annabeth are. So, if anyone here has the right to tell you how she feels, I'd argue I'm the most qualified for it."

Alister's shoulders tensed at that. "Then... tell me."

"When we first fell into Tartarus, I was terrified. Sure, you already knew that, but I don't know if Percie ever told you what exactly she was terrified of."

"What? She... you were terrified of something besides the pit?"

Percy could recall it all too well. The plummet had given him plenty of time to think as he clutched to Annabeth. "The fear that ran through my body during that fall... was that something would happen to her. And it would somehow be my fault. I'd destroy the most important thing in the world to me, through my own stupid mistakes."

Alister looked like a deer in headlights. Percy couldn't stop now, not without getting all this out.

"It was that fear that kept me attached to her as we walked through. Every sight, every sound, made me want to cover her with my own body. Bob was a big help, but even he could only do so much when we fought Tartarus himself. It was in that moment, when the Titan of the Pit appeared before us, my mind finally shattered. This was it. This was where I would lose her forever."

It was the first time Percy had ever allowed himself to say these things out loud. Like Alister, he found himself wishing he had said them sooner. But better late then never.

"So you don't need to fret about what Percie thinks when it comes to you. The things left unsaid don't matter. You never had to say it in the first place. I promise: Every thought she has about you relates back to one goal; the need to get back to you."

The two demigods sat in silence, Percy's words hanging in the air. Alister's eyes were so focused, the son of Poseidon briefly wondered if he was trying to stare holes into the table. "She would cross the universe for you, Alister. I... would cross the universe for you."

Alister's body spasmed, but his face remained a hardened shell. At last, he closed his eyes, unclasping his hands and placing them gently in front of him. "Thank you, Percy. For... all of it. And last night."

Percy had to think for a moment, before catching on. "Oh, the cuddling thing. No problem. I didn't want you hurting yourself, sleeping at that angle."

The son of Athena blushed. "I apologize if I was a tad too... clingy, in my sleep. Percie teases me about it every chance she gets."

"If she's anything like me, she's thinks its endearing," Percy reassured him, propping his feet on the table. "Now, unless you want to continue honoring that promise you made in the national park, I think it's time we find some breakfast."

Alister arched an eyebrow. "What promise?"

"The one where you said we'd pour our hearts out to each other. I told you I'd remember it, Wise Guy."

Percy had to duck to avoid the empty popcorn bucket Alister tossed at his head. "You... are the most insufferable man I've ever met, Percy Jackson," Alister said, trying to keep an annoyed expression but failing at it.

"Knowing the company you keep, that title is an honor," Percy tossed back, chucking the popcorn bucket back at the son of Athena. Alister ducked as well, his eyes narrowing in challenge. "Be glad Peter is asleep right now, Seaweed Brain, or I'd be forced to retaliate for that."

His sentence seemingly trigged something in his own head. "Oh!" Alister exclaimed, coming to a halt. "How did my idea turn out? Charmspeaking Lamia out of your head?"

"Better than you might have thought. Didn't dream anything, whatsoever. One of the best sleeps I've had in years," Percy told him.

"Well, it should hold us over for a few nights, at least. May want to get used to Peter monologuing into your ear for the foreseeable future."

It was something Percy knew had to happen, but that didn't mean he wasn't worried that the son of Aphrodite might use his power for a more nefarious purpose outside of the established boundaries. Yes, he trusted Piper to a fault, and extended the same to Peter. But that didn't mean he'd be surprised if the demigod ended up charming him into doing his English essays. That was always a possibility.

"Until otherwise, Peter will be sleeping during most of the daylight hours, then," Percy brought up. "He seemed exhausted after staying awake with me the whole night."

"All the better to keep him and Janice from having to interact too much," Alister noted.

"What was up with that, by the way? Every time they see each other, Janice starts making sad-puppy eyes, and Peter gets this look in his face, like he just punted a baby seal off a building," Percy said, remembering the looks the two demigods had exchanged while Peter was showing him to his room.

"It was not an... amicable breakup, if the way Janice told the story is any indication," Alister explained, looking uncomfortable. "Only Peter could fill in the rest of the blanks, but we can't afford to stir him awake and make him relieve some unhappy memories. Not while he's the only thing standing between you and death, anyway."

That not-at-all reassuring answer given, the two demigods returned to the main floor. Peter was still splayed out on the couch, his hair covering half of his face in a rather comedic fashion, similar to a Phantom of the Opera mask. Janice, meanwhile, was poking at some of the high-end lamps Tristan McLean had seen fit to decorate his home office with.

"Like, how many lamps does one person need?" the daughter of Jupiter asked as they came in. "I'm counting seventeen, just here in this one room! Does he think they'll be useful as some sort of backup in a power surge?"

"The mind of the Hollywood actor is a dangerous place, Janice," Percy cautioned her. "Only the bravest of souls dare venture into it."

Janice chuckled, spinning one of the lamp shades on her wrist. "So, did you two work anything out in that conversation upstairs?"

"Yes," they both said in unison.

The daughter of Jupiter flinched at their apparent sameness. "Okie dokie, then. So, what's our plan from here on out? Camp Jupiter?"

"Yes," Alister said. "The rest of the Seven, plus Rey, already know about our situation. They're going to be expecting us soon."

"Well, San Francisco isn't too far from here, via chariot. Any idea when you want to leave?"

The son of Athena bit the inside of his cheek. "Ideally as soon as we can, but I don't want to disturb Peter any more than we have to. He's gonna have the toughest job out of any of us, in the coming days."

An emotion flashed across Janice's eyes as Alister spoke, but she didn't voice whatever it was. "Agreed. His well-being should be a top priority for us."

Percy put a hand to his hip. "So, what would be our best time for a departure, then? San Francisco is about two hours away by flight; when is the ideal time to reach New Rome?"

Janice rubbed her chin. "It's a pretty busy time for the camp, this time of year. The legions are going to be in pretty rigorous training the next few weeks, and Rey isn't going to let a mix-up like this ruin his schedule."

Alister made a noise in the back of his throat, but didn't speak at the mention of the praetor. 

"The rest of the Seven are there, too, plus Nicola and Willamina should be arriving any time, as well. Hayden wanted to to meet his sister's new girlfriend, after all."

Chiron's words to Alister before they left suddenly hit Percy. "We should also be expecting Thomas to arrive at some point," he reminded Alister.

Alister's face fell, and Janice wheeled on him, her eyes flashing. "Excuse me?" she demanded. "My brother is going to be there as well?"

"Uh, yeah. Chiron sai-"

"He can't be allowed anywhere near Peter," she cut in, her tone deadly serious. "I'm not joking, either. If he sees him, he will kill him. Without batting an eye."

Percy never knew Thalia could be so... spiteful. Protective? Absolutely. But this kind of reaction... what on earth had happened between Janice and Peter to drive this kind of wedge between them? Whatever it was, it had to mirror Piper and Jason. Did Thalia react like this when she'd learned they'd broken up?

"It's impossible to keep Thomas from being somewhere he wants to be, Janice," Alister moaned. "You might physically be the same age, due to his years in the Lotus Hotel, but he'll always see himself as a big brother. And big brothers usually don't like it when men break their little sister's heart."

"He didn't bre-" Janice protested, before giving up. "Look, just let me talk to him first. Thomas has been through too much to give everything up just to protect me."

"Where have we all heard that before?" Percy muttered, thinking on what Athena had said to him what she told him his own fatal flaw. He'd destroy the world before he'd let a friend get hurt. Back in Tartarus, he nearly had. Would have, if Annabeth hadn't been screaming sense into his head. Bob and Damasen had volunteered to stay behind. But it had taken every molecule in his body to leave them. If she hadn't been there, he wouldn't be standing here today.

Alister didn't look too convinced, which Janice scoffed at. "Just trust me. I know my brother. He won't do anything that would hurt me, either. And hurting Peter, w-would hurt me."

The crack Percy heard in her voice nearly broke his own heart. She still loved him. Even now.

The son of Poseidon wanted to offer Janice some encouragement. A rousing speech, or maybe a soft-spoken reassurance. She'd accomplished the impossible before. He opened his mouth to do just that. Then the room exploded.


	12. Smothered Misery, Ignited Ideas

Did it surprise Percie when Annabeth demanded that the daughter of Poseidon wait for her before she left for Philly? No, of course it didn't. Alister would have done the same thing. Would she have tried to argue with him? Maybe, but would it have gotten her anywhere? No.

"You stay there and don't move a muscle, Percie Jackson. If I get back, and you left without me, so help me I will rip the door off the Poseidon cabin and use it as a makeshift raft to Philadelphia," the daughter of Athena had grunted before dashing off to grab some supplies.

Percie made a raspberry sound with her lips, but obeyed. No matter how terrifying Circe might be, nothing seemed to be worth risking the wrath of Annabeth. Plus, the Poseidon door was probably her favorite part of the entire cabin. Replacing it would be a huge pain.

"Guess I'll just sit here and wait," the daughter of Poseidon mumbled to herself, giving Blackjack a pat on the neck as the pegasus stood waiting at the stable's entrance.

"Boss, I hate to pry like this, but why are you so gung-ho about saving two guys you really haven't met yet?" he asked her.

"Because I do know them, just not in a very easy-to-explain manner," Percie answered, remembering the conversation she'd had with Nicola after Gaea's defeat. The daughter of Hades had seemed to be in relatively high spirits, despite her malnourished appearance. Right after telling her and Alister that she'd be staying at the camp, Nicola had dropped the real bombshell: She'd been crushing on the daughter of Poseidon for the longest time. Alister didn't seem to be too rattled by the reveal, but Percie's mind had been boggled. She'd spent three years convinced Nicola hated her, and for the exact opposite to be the case... was unthinkable.

Sure, Nicola had assured both of them she was over it, and based on how happy she seemed with the daughter of Apollo, Percie was inclined to believe her. But that didn't mean she still didn't feel like she owed the daughter of Hades something in return. She hadn't been the greatest friend, considering what Nicola had done for her in just a span of a few years. Nicola had been there when Percie fell into Tartarus with Alister. Gods, she hoped the young demigod had gotten over her crush by then. If not... no wonder she'd started counseling sessions with Dionysus.

Percie didn't realize she'd slumped against Blackjack, lost in thought, until the pegasus whinnied. "Uh, boss? You feeling okay back there?"

"Oh, uh, yeah. Just... trying to work some things out," Percie bluffed, hoping the winged horse wasn't paying too much attention this time of the morning. "Know any good donut places in Philadelphia?"

Blackjack perked up at the mention of the pastries. "Oh, the city's loaded with them! I recommend Frangelli's Bakery if you're new to the area, but in case you ever want a more classic taste, I'd say Okie Dokie Donuts is your best bet!"

Blackjack still hadn't finished his rundown on Philly's best places for fried dough treats when Annabeth returned to the stable, a small backpack strapped to her. She hopped up behind Percie, causing Blackjack to wheeze a little before regaining his balance.

"You ladies are heavier than you look," he complained, before shooting a terrified look back at them. "Oh, I didn't mean that! I- uh, I meant that... you see-"

Percie chuckled. "No need to apologize, Blackjack. Just get us to Philly."

Annabeth wrapped her arms around Percie's waist as they took off, the camp disappearing beneath them as Blackjack soared into the early morning light. The daughter of Athena's grip tensed as she leaned into the other demigod, inhaling as they reached a cruising altitude. "You... smell like the ocean," Annabeth murmured, her arms still locked on Percie.

"Daughter of Poseidon, remember? Can't wash it off, no matter how much soap I use," Percie cracked, before Annabeth's face brought her back into serious mode. "Oh... I smell just like him, don't I?"

Annabeth didn't speak; a nod was all it took. The daughter of the sea sniffed, looking back to the front of Blackjack. "It's weird... the whole thing with the Romans had easy scapegoats: we could blame Apollo, Hera, Athena... any number of people could fill in for our problems. Kronos was a similar thing- the Olympians, the Titan himself, Lucille-"

Annabeth's voice behind her sounded confused. "Lucille?"

"Oh, I guess she wasn't your guys' problem here. Daughter of Hermes... became the vessel for Kronos... scar over her eye? Ring any bells?"

"Yes. I know exactly who you're talking about." Annabeth's voice was hard as steel. Percie grimaced as she remembered fully; Lucille had been Alister's first hero, alongside Thomas. They loved each other, in their own way. But she'd betrayed it. Alister had privately told Percie he'd forgiven the daughter of Hermes for breaking his heart in more ways than one, but he still blanched whenever someone brought her up. And here she was, doing the exact same thing to Annabeth.

"Sorry. I should have known better," Percie said, hanging her head. "I keep forgetting that you and him are the same person. His memories are yours."

The daughter of Athena exhaled. "No, I get it. I have to keep reminding myself that we've seen each other at our best and worst moments, even though we've only really known one another for a few days," she added.

"So... I take it you guys had to deal with a male Octavia, then?"

"Roman augur?"

"Yeah. Pretentious little weasel. Had a weird thing for teddy bears. Managed to be both harmless and dangerous at the same time."

Annabeth shivered. "Yeah, that's Octavian. So being female didn't mellow him out whatsoever?"

"Mellow? Octavia? Please. I'm surprised she didn't die of a heart attack before twelve, if her blood pressure was anything to go by. It's leaders like her that make me question why Rome didn't collapse sooner than it did."

The daughter of Athena shrugged. "Sometimes the worst people are also the luckiest. Until Nemesis decides it's time for them to finally fall, of course."

Turning back to the sky, Percie blinked as the sun slowly began rising over the horizon. "Blackjack, how quickly can you get us there?"

"At this rate, I'd give us maybe two hours-ish, if the winds don't give us too much trouble," the pegasus neighed. "I don't really have the speed of an airliner, if that's what you're thinking."

"No, no, that should be okay. I just don't want those boys to be in Circe's clutches any longer than we can reasonably allow," she responded, one hand going to Riptide out of instinct. If that sorceress had laid so much as a finger on either of them, Philadelphia might end up facing a literal hurricane.

She must have been glowering, because Annabeth put a hand to her back. "They'll be okay, if your dream is right. Circe took them specifically to get your attention. She wouldn't hurt them now."

The daughter of Poseidon appreciated the gesture, but it didn't help her relax. "Now, maybe, but what about in an hour? Every second we spend getting there is one more second where something could go wrong. Maybe Circe decides she only needs one of them for her plan, or just showed herself abducting them to me so she could kill them immediatly after, to crush my hope of saving them, or-"

Annabeth wrapped her arms around Percie's shoulders, pulling her into her chest. "Stop that! You're going to let Circe out-think you before we even get to Philly. She showed you that dream for one reason, and one reason only: to make you reckless. She wants you to be angry. She wants you off your game. She knows you can't beat her if you're too busy worrying about Nico and Will to keep your head on straight."

Percie choked on her words, letting Annabeth hold her. "I can't lose anyone else, Annabeth," she admitted, her voice sinking. "I'd go right off the deep end. And that would be the end of me."

The daughter of Athena sighed into Percie's hair. "I know, Seaweed Brain. And I can't afford to lose you like that, either. I almost did, remember?"

Percie shook her head.

"Tartarus. When we met Akhlys."

The goddess of misery. A pathetic, sadistic creature. She'd tried to kill Percie and Alister with her Death Mist, right after promising to help them. It was the straw that broke the camel's back for the daughter of Poseidon. To be so close, and face another threat... she'd had enough. Percie had turned Akhlys' powers against her, forcing the goddess to wallow in the full extent of her poison. Akhlys had begged for mercy... mercy that Percie had run out of. She still remembered the grin that had creeped across her own face as misery itself crumbled before her. 

Then he was there. Alister, shouting into her ear. How some things couldn't be controlled; were never intended to be controlled. Percie had allowed the events of the past years to walk her right to the edge of the abyss. Faced with the choice, she tried to step into it... but he hadn't let her. He'd pulled her back, saved her from becoming one of the very things that haunted her for her whole life. 

"I remember," was all Percie said.

"Yeah. I do, too. And in the moments after that, before Nyx appeared before us, I made a promise to myself. I promised that I'd never let you reach that point ever again. To see you so removed from who you are... that is a darkness no one deserves to feel."

She... didn't deserve to feel that? That couldn't be right. "Annabeth, I... I can't ask you to stick to that promise," Percie whispered. 

"Why?" Annabeth's response was concise; structured. "Because you don't think you're worth the effort? Because you have weaknesses, like everybody else? I don't know who's responsible for filling your head with that nonsense, but when I meet them, they're going to wish they'd never been born."

The daughter of wisdom grabbed Percie by the shoulders, making her stare right into her stormy eyes. "I. Love. You. You. Freaking. Idiot," she punctuated, putting her forehead to Percie's when she finished. "And no bad day, no fatal flaw... no gender swap will ever change that."

Later, Percie couldn't figure out who initiated the kiss. Maybe it had been her; so caught up in Annabeth's proclamation, her sense abandoned her, and her emotions took over. Or it could have been the daughter of Athena, just to show Percie how serious she'd been in her statements, and how unyielding she would be in the days to come. But that really didn't matter.

All that mattered, in that moment, was that for the first time since she'd been dumped into this world, the daughter of Poseidon felt like she was meant to be where she was. 

Finally, after the elation faded away, the two demigods pulled apart. "I... I...," Annabeth stammered, her face flashing a shade of red Percie had never seen before. "I don't know what just came over me. Oh gods, I'm so sor-"

However, Percie could tell you exactly who initiated the second one. It wasn't as long or as sudden, but it conveyed everything she was feeling, when Percie pressed her lips to Annabeth's again. "Don't overthink yourself into a bad spot, Wise Girl," Percie murmured when they finished, leaning back. "You've got nothing to apologize for. Really, I should be thanking you."

The only sound was the sound of Blackjack's wings flapping through the wind as both demigods absorbed what had just happened. Annabeth looked petrified, but Percie felt renewed. "So, we ready to in drop and kick some sorceress butt?" Percie asked, smiling.

Every emotion all seemed to flash across Annabeth's face at once before she returned it. "More than ready, Seaweed Brain."

"Yeah! And then we'll celebrate with chocolate and glazed goodness!" Blackjack joined in, kicking out his hooves in joy. "No jelly-filled, though. That stuff is impossible to clean out of my hair."

It was weird. Rachel had told both demigods that she didn't really think it could be counted as cheating on your partner if the person you cheated on them with was technically them. Percie had been horrified by the implication, but here she was, just a day later, now seeing exactly what the Oracle had been talking about. There was no guilt, or questioning. It was the exact same feeling she'd had when she and Alister finally kissed, after the Battle of Manhattan. Granted, that one had been underwater, not high in the sky, but the emotions behind it had been the same. Based on Annabeth's demeanor, the daughter of Athena had reached the same conclusion.

The flight to Philadelphia ended up going off without any more hitches. Blackjack brought the two girls down in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the city stretched out before them. Annabeth hopped off, stretching her legs out after the flight.

"Okay, we're here. Any idea where Circe seemed to be telling you to come find her?" she asked Percie.

Percie swept her eyes out over the metropolis. "I saw Circe kidnap the boys outside the city, on the banks of some river, but I doubt that's where she'd keep them. Circe always had a taste for the inventions of the modern world."

Annabeth arched her brow. "The only river I can think of that goes through Philly is the Delaware river. Penn's Landing is the big hotspot for tourists visiting the city on the waterfront, but I can't think of a place there where Circe might-"

"Hold on! It's literally just called the Delaware River?" Percie interrupted.

"Yes. Why, what did you think it was called?"

"Something a lot less easy to say."

The daughter of wisdom face-palmed, then sucked in a breath. "Focus, Seaweed Brain. We know how prophetic dreams can be. What else did you see besides the abduction on the banks of the river?"

An image flashed through Percie's head. "I saw the Liberty Bell."

"The Liberty Bell?"

"Yeah, and it was kind of random, too. No monsters, no signs of strange activity. Just the bell. It's how I realized the city was Philadelphia."

Annabeth's eyes narrowed. "We need to head to Independence National Park, then."

Blackjack puffed his chest. "Easy enough. Hop on, ladies."

Percie didn't bother translating at this point. Annabeth seemed to understand the general gist of whatever the pegasus said by now. Probably due to having to listen to one too many donut-centered conversations related to her by Percy.

The early morning of the day meant the park wasn't very packed, with only the odd staff member milling around before opening. Blackjack dropped them off in the square in front of the State House, then galloped back into the air, promising to bring them back a dozen of Frangelli's best selection.

"I hope he doesn't steal them," Percie commented, watching the pegasus take off.

The demigods approached the bell, hanging solemnly in the center of the square. The famous crack was eye-catching, enough so that Annabeth had to pause. "You know, a lot of historians can't agree on when exactly the bell cracked. Some say it was in 1835, after it was rung to announce the death of John Marshall. A few others proclaim it came about during the abolitionist days, when the country itself 'cracked' over the slavery debate."

Percie remembered Annabeth's dad was a historian as she talked. "Do you have any theory of your own you want to add to that list?"

The daughter of Athena shook her head. "No, I'd rather not add to the mess. You know, the bell was originally rung to announce that the lawmakers of the city needed to gather. The Founders were among that group. A lot of them were children of Athena."

Annabeth stretched out a hand to the bell, before pulling away. "But enough of the history lesson. See anything around here that might point the way to Circe?"

Percie spotted nothing as she spun around, scanning for anything that might lead to the sorceress. "Maybe we're going about this wrong. Circe's thing is luring people in, and manipulating them into doing her bidding. So why doesn't anything out here catch my eye?"

"The only thing.... is the bell," Annabeth realized, stepping next to Percie. "Circe's fond of transfiguration. Turning people or objects into something else. Maybe she's done something similar here."

"You're not saying she turned one of the boys into the Liberty Bell, are you?"

Annabeth wrinkled her nose at Percie. "No, but she might have altered the bell itself. Maybe...-"

The daughter of Athena knelt down under the belt, placing a hand over the clapper. With only a moment of hesitation, she rang it. The Liberty Bell tolled, releasing a dreary sound out over the square. Percie felt a river of unease race across her spine as the melancholy ringing finished.

"Yeah, she did. The bell's been unringable since 1915," Annabeth confirmed, returning to her feet. "Now, let's see if ringing it attracts any special attention."

Did they really have to speculate? As it turned out, no. They didn't, to Percie's total non-surprise. No sooner had Annabeth finished saying that then the ground beneath them started to wobble, just like Percie had seen it do in her dream when Circe abducted the boys.

Instead of swallowing them, though, the earth opened up, revealing a rather startling sight. A very luxurious elevator emerged from the ground, coming to a stop before the two demigods. A helpful sign on the floor read out "Please, enter, all who ring the bell of wisdom, and be glad!"

"You've got to be kidding me," Percie moaned. "Might as well have it read 'Death awaits! Please prepare yourself for a bad time'".

It didn't stop her from boarding the elevator. Annabeth looked uneasy, but didn't hesitate to follow her in. "Guess this will take us where we need to go," she muttered, as the doors closed behind her.

Percie felt the elevator sink back into the ground, her hand closing around Riptide in her pocket. The buttons on the side of the elevator didn't have numbers on them; rather, each one imitated a significant moment of the daughter of Poseidon's life: slaying the Minotaur, getting turned into a guinea pig (of course Circe would include that one), holding up the sky, facing Kronos, and falling into Tartarus. The final one, however, differed. The image it displayed was a woman standing victorious over two slain bodies, the faces obscured.

As Percie looked at it, the picture shifted, into a burning pyre that seemed to grow and grow, until she dimly became aware that the room was getting hotter.

"Percie! Look around us!" Annabeth shouted through the haze the daughter of the sea had fallen into.

Shaking her head, Percie's senses returned to her. The elevator wasn't just getting hotter; it was actually on fire. The walls ignited, flames leaping against one another as it spread to the ceiling. Annabeth yanked Percie into the center of the lift, just as one spark singed at her cheek.

"Guess Circe didn't want to take any chances!" Percie shouted over the roaring inferno as the flames began licking along the floor, forming a tight circle around their feet. The elevator had seemingly slowed down, just to make their chances even worse.

Annabeth cursed, ripping off her backpack and grabbing a small tube from it. "I hate being right all the time!" she growled, uncapping the bottle and squeezing what smelled like coconut lotion into her hand.

Percie could appreciate someone with good skin care products, but was now really the time to be worried about dry palms? The daughter of Athena rubbed the solution all over herself, before turning to the daughter of the ocean with a determined stare. "Raise your arms!" she snapped.

Stumped, Percie complied, getting the same coconut treatment Annabeth had given herself. "Let's hope that's enough," Annabeth muttered as she finished. The flames got closer and closer, until they were only a few inches away from covering the whole elevator.

"At least we're in this together, eh, Wise Girl?" Percie offered, holding onto Annabeth.

"Always and ever, Seaweed Brain. Always and ever."

And with that, the fire engulfed them.


	13. A General's Gambit

The blast was enough to lift Percy off his feet. The son of Poseidon flew right out of the office, slamming up against the back wall of the McLean day spa, whose door had been open directly across from the hallway from where he had been standing. Sadly, none of the various hot tubs seemed to be prepared for use; all of them were completely drained of water.

His head ringing, Percy fumbled around with his hands until he managed to catch hold of one of the tubs. Heaving, he lifted himself up to a half-standing position, so he could see back into the office. 

Or what was left of it. Greek fire consumed most of the room, spreading outwards from the glass windows that had been facing the street. Someone must have tossed it in from that side of the house, but who on earth would do that?

Percy had to put those questions on hold, however, to focus on a much more pressing problem. Alister and Janice had been right there in that room with him when the explosion went off. Where had the blast carried them?

The demigod stumbled out of the spa, his hand grasping for Riptide. The pen-sword managed to stay in his pocket despite the wild ride he'd just experienced, but with his equilibrium currently out to lunch, Percy had several doubts as to how effective he could be with it. He reached his other hand out for the doorway, in an effort to stabilize himself, and leaned his head into the now burning office.

It was difficult to make out much in the smoke the fire was causing, but Percy was able to catch a glimpse of a pair of feet poking out from under the desk. The son of the sea tried to push himself towards the fallen person, but his feet tripped over themselves when another smaller blast rocked another part of the house. Percy face-planted right into the coral pink carpet, getting a mouthful of smoke for his trouble.

A hand clasped onto the back of his shirt, yanking him up to a sitting position. "Careful," Janice puffed, dragging him under the desk with her. The effort seemed to be a monumental one for the daughter of Jupiter, and Percy saw why when she get him under cover. She had a very serious case of impalement going on; the desk lamp that had been right behind her before the fires caught had lodged right into the small of her back, burying itself about four inches into her.

"You okay?" Percy rather dumbly asked. Janice had a lamp sticking out of her! What kind of answer was he expecting: "Gee, Percy! I'm just dandy; couldn't feel any better!"?

The Roman just waved his question off. "I'll be fine, as soon we find out what just happened. But first, we gotta get out of here before the smoke inhalation finishes us off."

Easier said than done. Janice could barely stand up with her new back accessory, and Percy's breaths were getting harder and harder to come by. Guess that hit he took to the back after the initial explosion might have rebruised a few ribs from that fight with the Seitaads.

But she had a point. "Did you see what happened to Alister?" he asked Janice as he hoisted her up onto his shoulder, like they were about to engage in some inane three-legged race.

"No, I was too busy getting blown up by our mysterious attackers."

"The sarcasm is not needed right now," Percy complained, shuffling out of the office towards the main living space. "Really, was I that bad myself at some times?"

Janice managed to smile, despite her injury. "I'm sure your own friends back in the other world would be more than happy to agree to that sentiment."

"Yay."

The scene happening in the living room was a sight to behold. Peter, having been awoken by the explosions, was caught up in a very serious stare down with a pair of unfamiliar men. The newcomers were dressed like stereotypical frat guys, with university jerseys and well-worn jeans. The son of Aphrodite had had the foresight to store some weapons around the house, since Percy had no idea where the xiphos had come from. His adversaries were similarly equipped, each one sporting some variant of sword that Percy couldn't recognize immediatly.

The frat guy to the left of the living room swept his eyes over to Percy and Janice as they staggered in, pointing his finger at the son of Poseidon. "He's the one," the man intoned, drawing the attention of his friend.

"Then finish it, and let's be done. The Genius will reward us for putting an end to him here," the other snapped.

The Genius? Now who were these muscle-heads blabbering about? Another mastermind in the shadows? Wasn't Lamia enough?

"I'm just Mr. Popular, apparently," Percy fumed, leaning Janice against the back of the sofa. "Okay, Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-doofus, what did I do to get your underwear in a twist?"

"You are a mistake, Percy Jackson," the first guy snarled, bracing his sword with both hands. "You never should have existed here."

Peter, still in the middle of the room, angled his position so he was blocking Percy from both intruders. "Okay, I might have been willing to forgive the explosions: money could always replace any damage to the house," the son of Aphrodite began, twirling his sword, "but insulting a guest in my home? That's going too far."

"A son of love dares lecture us on the intricacies of hospitality?" the second goon demanded. "My, my. This world really has gone beyond the point of salvation."

"All the more reason to kill him now," his partner reaffirmed. "Less time wasted on conversation, and more to spend on our reward."

"Yes, the reward you're anticipating from your master; the Genius, as you called him," Peter remarked. The demigod's expression changed from an outraged grimace to serpentine smirk. "May I ask who he is, by chance?"

"He's-"

"Silence, you fool!" the second one cried out, his face betraying anxiety. "The master warned us of this one, and his honeyed speeches."

"Fool? That's not a very nice thing to call your friend," Peter continued, his eyes locked onto the face of the first intruder. "I can't believe he would talk to you like that. After everything you've been through together."

Janice tapped Percy on the shoulder, motioning for both of them to head out of the house. Percy nodded, slipping himself under Janice's arm once again. The son of Aphrodite seemed to have this mess handled.

"He... did always say things like that when he thought I couldn't hear him," Percy heard the first goon whimper as they left. 

"Yes, of course he did. Because he's jealous of you, maybe? Or maybe he's really that much of a jerk."

"Remind me to stay on his good side," Percy whispered to Janice as they made it to the front door.

The daughter of Jupiter wheezed. "That's Peter: taking people's insecurities and making them into a mountain, right in the middle of a battle."

Her words seemed heavy, and Percy made a mental note to keep his eye on the pair of them for the rest of the time he was around. It seemed like the only way he'd ever manage to get any sort of answer as to how they broke up.

The front of the house, from the yard, was a heart-breaking sight: Greek fire that had started in the office was now moving up to the second floor, making swift work of the infrastructure. Percy hoped Peter could charmspeak his way out of there soon, before the McLean beach house literally flattened him. 

"Still no sign of Alister, either," he muttered, setting Janice down in the back of the chariot in the driveway. The daughter of Jupiter gasped as the lamp in her back scrapped against the wall of the vehicle, but only shook her head when Percy went to look at it. "No time to worry about me. Just find Alister; I'm sure Peter will be out here any minute. We can leave as soon as all four of us are back together."

The look in her eye made it clear she wasn't going to tolerate any sort of argument from the son of Poseidon. "Fine," he acquiesced, stepping away. "But there's still some nectar left over from our flight here. At least try to take some of that."

Janice narrowed her eyes at him. "Where, exactly?"

Percy felt like slapping himself. The nectar was in one of the bags they had packed. Which was currently somewhere inside the beach house. Which, in case anyone had forgotten, was now going up in green fire.

"Just... stay there. I'll be right back with Alister and Peter, and we'll get you to New Rome for medical attention," Percy sputtered, dashing off to the side of the house. He could hear Janice rolling her eyes, it was so obvious, but bit his tongue. There was no time to stick around and trade coy remarks with Grace.

Passing by the part of the house where the three of them had been standing when the first explosion sounded, Percy slowed down. He couldn't afford to sprint around the area aimlessly. He needed to take a page from Annabeth's book, and try to learn what he could from his surroundings. Closing his eyes, he tried to recall the moments before the explosion.

He'd been right in front of the door, which was why he'd been sent flying back into the spa. That meant the first volley came from the direction of the windows; perhaps right through the windows there in the office. Janice had been in front and to the right of him. That meant she ricocheted off the wall and across the desk, which is how she ended up getting impaled by one of the very lamps she had been criticizing earlier. And Alister... the son of Athena was standing just off of Percy's left flank, facing Janice. He would have also bounced off the wall, but instead of careening over the desk, his path would have followed... 

Percy's eyes widened. If his hunch was right, Alister had been blown right out the window closest to this side of the house. But where had he gone from there? Percy had seen no sign of him on the front yard. Wait... if Alister had landed outside the window where the first fire caught, odds were good he'd seen exactly who it was that had thrown the fire in the first place. And if he'd seen them, odds were also pretty good they'd seen him as well.

The son of the ocean's feet started moving on their own accord. Annabeth was rolling over in frustration somewhere right now, but there was no way Percy could stand still any more, pondering his next move when he could just be making it.

He ran to the beach around the house, now starting to show signs of giving way. Peter had better hurry up whatever he was planning with the two fratbros.

The McLean beach house wasn't the only luxury villa nestled away on this part of Malibu, but Tristan's star power had been more than enough to net his villa its own private stretch of sand. It was obvious the moment Percy rounded the corner that something had happened on this part of the property. The back tables had been tossed to the side, and the pool's ladder had been ripped out of its holding, now lying useless on the pavement around it.

Someone had been fighting here, and their fight had pushed them past the patio and onto the sand itself. Following the trail of destruction, Percy came upon a sight he hadn't been expecting further down the beach.

Alister, looking ragged from having been thrown out a window, was nevertheless launching attack after attack against another unfamiliar man. Unlike the college punks who'd been inside, however, this guy looked like he'd just stepped off the cover of a "World's Sexiest Lawyers" magazine. The three-piece suit was a tad too much for Percy's taste, but the son of Poseidon had to admit he pulled the look off well. 

The unknown stranger was parrying Alister's strikes with a spear, a bored expression etched on his face. His heart didn't seem to be in the fight, the exact opposite of the son of Athena. Alister's strikes were haphazard and wild, sword and dagger flailing about. As Percy got closer to the showdown, he could hear the voice of the unfamiliar man.

"Please, Alister. Cease with this pointlessness," he chided, blocking a swipe from the dagger without breaking a sweat. The sword didn't fare much better, getting kicked away while the man pushed against Alister's collarbone with the flat end of his spear, knocking the demigod onto his back. "I'm doing you a service, really. How many more impossible things are you willing to let happen just because you don't want to face an undeniable truth?"

Alister only screamed in anger as he leapt back to his feet, his blades scissoring together as they raced for the man's throat. If the strike connected, the son of Athena would have decapitated his opponent. It did not, though. 

The man only sighed in exasperation as he sidestepped the assault, smacking Alister across the face with the back of his hand. Even from this distance, Percy could see the blood splatter across the sand. Oh, now he'd done it.

"Hey! Calvin Klein! Try picking on someone more suited to your tastes!" Percy called out, Riptide coming to his hand. He still had about thirty feet to go before reaching the brawl, but he hoped his words would distract the man long enough for him to pull his attention away from Alister.

They did, but too well. The man's expression lighted at seeing Percy so close, and suddenly Alister was forgotten. The stranger hefted his spear with his hand, drawing it back into a charged position before launching it at the son of Poseidon. Percy only just managed to spin to the side, spilling onto the sand as the pointed weapon sailed past him.

Percy got to his feet, smiling at the development. "Whoops. Guess someone just lost his only means of defense."

Surprisingly, the man did not look hampered by this news. His expression only changed back to the bored look he'd been wearing when he was fighting Alister. He kept that same look as he extended his hand towards Percy. Confused, Percy turned to look behind him, only to be startled by Alister.

"Get down!" he screeched, his voice shriller than Percy had ever heard it. The warning dropped the son of Poseidon onto his chest, as the spear that had been tossed past him came passing right over his head once again, landing back in the hand of its owner.

"Really?" the stranger asked, giving Alister some serious side-eye. "Even after all I've told you, you still protect him?"

"And will continue to do so," the son of Athena spat, swinging at the man's legs. 

The incoming attack was blocked by the shaft of the spear, and the man narrowed his eyes at Alister as he jumped out of range of another one. "Brother, come. You must see reason at some point," he chastised.

Percy felt his heart writhe. "B-Brother? Wait, you two are-"

Alister pulled himself to his feet, his nose bleeding from the backhand he'd taken. "Reason? You show up out of nowhere, blow up a part of my friend's house, try to kill another one of them, and you expect me to listen to you?" he challenged. "And don't pull that family nonsense with me, either! You don't get to play that card!"

The man frowned. "Oh, I don't? But he gets to play the 'I'm really your girlfriend from another world' card, and you just abandon your senses without thought?"

"Don't you dare bring Percie up to me, you malaka!"

Alister was literally vibrating with rage as he shouted. Percy crept up next to him, Riptide pointed directly at the stranger.

"Long-lost family?" he whispered.

The son of Athena flinched. "In a sense," he returned.

"What, no grandiose introduction?" the man called out. "I did not restore Athenian supremacy to be treated like some card-carrying villain, little brother. Either tell him who I am, or I shall. Both of us know how much I enjoy making speeches."

"You? Making speeches? I'd never guess," Percy snapped at him, before turning to Alister with a gentler voice. "Who is he?"

"Demosthenes," Alister gnashed through clenched teeth.

"Indeed. Athenian statesman, world-renowned orator, political mastermind, wartime genius, and ever-favored son of Athena," Demosthenes added, with a little flourish. "Once dead, now given life again thanks to a very bizarre situation involving Gaea. Thanks for fixing that whole mess, by the way. You have no idea how boring it was, sitting in Elysium with only Euripides and Alcibiades for company."

"Wait, so this guy is some ancient child of Athena?" Percy asked, his brain getting its wires-crossed. "And now he's back, and trying to kill me?"

"Please understand. It's not because of some ill-gotten grudge, or twisted hubris," the orator insisted. "I am merely doing what is best for the world at large. The fact that such a result calls for your death is a factor I deeply regret."

"Regret? You didn't seem very regretful when you chucked that spear at me a moment ago!" Percy shot back, stepping forward so Alister was behind him. The other demigod whined in his throat, but Percy put his left hand to Alister's stomach, holding him back.

"Only because I finally saw a chance to fix this catastrophe. Come, Perseus. Did you really think Lamia's spell was so limited in its scope? That the consequences of it were already known to you? Sure, Hecate might be wearing herself to the bone for now, but even her ability to keep the world together can only stretch so far."

"What are you implying?"

Demosthenes huffed. "Oh, for the love of- how did you ever fall in love with this dense oaf?" he barked at his brother.

It was a good thing Percy had stepped in front of Alister, because that was the only way he was able to restrain the child of Athena before he tried to rip his brother's eyes out. Even so, Alister still fought against Percy's grip for several seconds.

"Easy, Alister," Percy had to murmur into his ear. "You're not in a good place to fight, physically or emotionally. The only reason he didn't kill you before I showed up is because he didn't want to."

Demosthenes clicked his tongue in disapproval, watching the two boys struggle with each other. "True; Mother would have had my head if I skewered her precious little architect. I planned to spare him regardless, just as a thank-you for saving the world twice, but now I must ask him to step back and let me save the world this time."

"And how does killing him save the world?" Alister raged, before finally seeming to relax into Percy's grip.

"Easy; the world wasn't displaced until he showed up, thanks to Lamia and her disastrous magic. Ergo, the fastest and most effective way to fix that destabilization is to remove the irritant: in this case, Percy Jackson."

"And you know this how?" Percy questioned.

"Simple. The Fates never planned for this Percy to exist in this world. They had only considered Percie, not her double. But now we've had the displacement. Lamia's magic acted up, and now the universe doesn't know what to do with itself. Hecate isn't enough; neither is any other god strong enough to fix it. The only way we go on is to kill the one person who threw us all into this mess: you," Demosthenes explained, pointing his weapon at Percy. "I will not pretend to enjoy it; despite the differences, you technically did save everyone twice. But now you can do it again, just in a different fashion."

The ancient demigod was an opponent Percy didn't trust himself to go toe-to-toe with, not with him having to worry about Alister's safety. Fortunately, Tristan McLean's vacation spot was about to come in handy.

"A reasonable offer, Demosthenes," Percy said, spreading his arms out. "I like reasonable people. And you were right; you are a fantastic speaker."

The orator shrugged. "Comes with the territory, I suppose. If it makes you feel any better, I was never a fan of drawn out, painful executions. You probably won't even feel it."

The ocean off to the side began churning as Demosthenes finished speaking, before millions of gallons of water streamed over the sand, encircling the three demigods. Some of it curled around Percy, shifting into the form of two giant fists. The rest hardened into spikes, right behind the ancient demigod.

"But for all your genius, and planning," Percy continued, his smile widening, "did you really ponder the implications of fighting a son of Poseidon next to the ocean?" The question was asked innocently, with an added wink for context.

Suddenly Demosthenes, who up until that moment had that same bored look on his face, flushed as he realized what sort of trap he'd just let himself get cornered into. Percy heard Alister chuckle behind him, and titled his head in questioning. "Oh, you didn't?" Percy teased. "Shame. Your boys in the house called you the Genius. But I guess even geniuses make mistakes, huh?"

"Mistakes?" Demosthenes' voice was low. "Oh, no, son of Poseidon. This is no mistake. My main goal might have been to end you, but I never let myself get suckered into having just one plan. My secondary objective was already a massive success."

"Your secondary objective? Do tell."

The ancient son of Athena managed to smirk, despite his circumstances. "Just have a look at your boyfriend, if you want to see."

Huh? Percy turned to Alister, who looked just as bewildered by the claim. "What are you on about?" Alister prodded.

"I may not claim your life today, Perseus, but I've planted doubt. Doubt in the mind of your precious Alister. It doesn't matter whose hand does you in, you know. Your death will save this world and everyone in it; I don't care if it isn't me who does it. Think on what I've said, brother. Ask yourself which choice is wisdom, and which is fantasy."

The waters closed in on him a second later, Percy now fully done with his manipulation. Demosthenes vanished under the waves for several minutes, Percy not letting up until he was sure he'd held it long enough for the ancient demigod to have succumbed to drowning. But when he released the water, the sand where Demosthenes had been standing was clear. No body, no sign whatsoever.

"That coward," Percy grumbled. "Of course he'd have some escape plan ready."

The son of Poseidon turned to check on Alister, but the son of Athena was still staring at the spot where his brother had been. His eyes were a million miles away, and his lips were slowly moving, like he was repeating Demosthenes' last words over and over.

"Alister."

Percy's voice rattled the demigod out of his trance. "Oh, uh, Percy," Alister mumbled, blinking. "Thanks for uh... stepping in and all."

"No problem," Percy responded, angling his head to look Alister in the eye. "He didn't get to you, did he?"

"Him? No, not at all," Alister told him, but Percy could tell that wasn't the full truth. Alister had the same tells as Annabeth, and Percy had known her long enough to spot when she was being aloof.

"Okay then," was all Percy said, not wanting to push the issue. "We should get back to the chariot; Janice is there, and she's got a lamp sticking out of her."

Alister arched an eyebrow. "A lamp? Gods, that woman has the worst luck when it comes to injuries."

As the two of them made their way back to the front of the house, the two frat guys came spilling out a side door, locked in some sort of wrestling move. "You backstabbing miscreant!" the first one cried out, trying to body-slam his friend. "How could I not see it? You've been planning to usurp me as Demosthenes' right hand the whole time, haven't you?"

"Me? Betray you? You've been scheming against me ever since I became his left hand!" the second one berated. "By the time I'm through with you, you won't have any hands whatsoever to speak of!"

Alister and Percy watched them roll around in the grass, still screaming accusations at each other. "Peter's work?" the son of Athena questioned.

"Yep. Guess he made it out to the chariot," Percy said back.

That was good, because the McLean beach house was now fully engulfed in a green inferno. Several of the neighbors were gathered on the street, watching the house burn with mixed reactions. Some at least tried to look like they were faking tears; others didn't bother hiding their smirks.

None of the affluent bystanders paid any attention to the demigods in the driveway. Janice was huddled on the chariot, with Peter tapping his foot in anger at the indifference expressed by his neighbors.

"Remind me to tell my dad no one bothered to help," he complained to Percy and Alister as they approached. "I'm sure his lawyers could have a field day with this crowd." Despite his aggravation, the son of Aphrodite had harness the two pegasi while waiting. Neither Calico or Shortstop looked very proud of themselves for disappearing during the action again, but Percy wasn't in the mood for yelling at them.

"Did you manage to salvage anything from the house?" Percy asked him instead.

"No. I meant what I said in there. Money can always replace things. But people, my friends; that's something I won't mess around with."

Despite his house going up in flames right in front of him, the son of love smiled. In that moment, he looked more like Piper than he ever had before.

Janice grinned as well, despite her injury. "Guess I'm gonna have to hold off on that nectar until we get to Camp Jupiter, then, huh?"

Percy felt his heart melt at these two. Here they were, both suffering from pretty serious incidents, all because they were friends with Percie Jackson. And neither of them looked spiteful in the slightest. A pang of guilt twitched inside him, but he snuffed it out. He'd have done the same thing, if it meant helping either of them out. He couldn't get caught up in his feelings again; not when it went both ways.

The four demigods were ready soon enough, and Percy wondered what the mortals saw as the chariot flew up into air from the driveway. The Mist probably had a rough time covering that one.

No sooner were they in the air then Peter dozed off, his sleep from last night having been interrupted by Demosthenes and his duo of frat guys. Janice tried to rest too, but her back ornament made the process difficult. That left Percy standing next to Alister as they flew to San Francisco.

"He's gonna make another appearance, we both know that," Alister murmured, not looking at the son of Poseidon. "He's got it in his head that it's the right thing to do."

"Yeah, but at least he showed his hand to us," Percy reminded him. 

The son of Athena bit the inside of his cheek. "Yes... the Genius, giving all that information out. That just makes me feel so much better."

Alister clammed up after that, and Percy didn't ask anything more. The son of wisdom clearly needed to be alone with his thoughts.

The son of Poseidon just hoped those thoughts didn't include a dagger in between his ribs before all was said and done.


	14. Bearing The Bonds Of Another

Percie slammed her eyes shut, waiting for the moment where the inferno finally started to sear at her skin. The irony of the daughter of Poseidon dying horrifically in a fire was not the last thought she wanted to ever think before meeting Charon again, but it seemed that was what her brain decided was important in her final moments. She held her breath, and waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

Okay, this was weird. The fire had just reached her feet when she shut her eyes. It should have been scorching her, at the very least, by now. So why wasn't she writhing around in unthinkable agony? Not that she was complaining about that, but still.

"Percie, I think you can open your eyes again," Annabeth said a few inches in front of her face.

Percie's eyes fluttered open, and were met with a terrifying sight. The flames were there, all right. They were licking all over her clothes, sizzling with heat she could feel radiating off them. Looking over to Annabeth, the sight was even worse. The daughter of Athena was engulfed entirely in flame, and while she looked freaked out beyond measure, she didn't seem to be suffering any pain.

"Oh, great. The flames are so hot we can't even feel them," Percie bemoaned. "How long before the flesh starts sloughing off our bones?"

Annabeth's gaze darted around the burning elevator, before she exhaled in relief. "Actually, I don't think we have to worry about burning to death. At least, not from the ones in here."

"Excuse me? Pardon me for sounding skeptical, Wise Girl, but you are aware your face is on fire right now? Gods, I don't even want to think about what our hair is going to smell like after this."

The daughter of Athena rolled her eyes, holding up the bottle she'd whipped out before the fire had reached them. "Recognize this? It's Medea's sunscreen, the one I mentioned it would be really nice to have when we had to face the Colchis Bulls. I forgot to bring it with me that time; never again."

Percie had to squint to read the words on the side: "Medea's SPF 50,000 Sunscreen. And... this is why we aren't flailing around in agony right now?"

"Yeah. The same stuff Medea gave the original Jason when he had to fight the Bulls. It doesn't protect against all kinds of fire, but I guessed Circe's would be within the zone. She is Medea's aunt, after all."

The daughter of Poseidon broke into a wide grin, which must have made her look like a flaming pumpkinhead. "Have I told you how brilliant you are?"

"You could stand to mention it more," Annabeth replied, a sly grin returning Percie's expression.

Now impervious to the flames, the two demigods managed to enjoy the ride down into the ground. At some point, Circe must have realized her flames weren't going to be of any real use, and the fire died out, leaving a smokeless elevator behind. "Guess that confirms the magic angle," Percie commented as the elevator slowed. "Time to speak to a bellhop. No guest should have to worry about being cooked into barbecue in an elevator."

"Assuming that bellhop cared about your customer satisfaction enough to even listen," the daughter of Athena remarked, one hand going to her sword. "I haven't checked Circe's Yelp rating in a while, but it's not something she worries about. Turning your male visitors into animals tends to lead to a lot of one-star reviews."

Percie nodded. "As it should. I would know; guinea pig Percie was not a happy customer."

Annabeth must have had a thought suddenly occur to her, since she wheeled to Percie with a startled look. "Wait... you were the one who got turned into the guinea pig? Not Alister?"

"Oh, yeah. I can see how that might be confusing. Okay, so from what I gathered when we were there, Circe was trying to turn Alister into a guinea pig, like her M.O. For some reason, she had it in her head that I would make a decent sorceress. Not smart," Percie explained. "Anyway, she was right in the middle of guilt-tripping him into drinking some of that guinea pig potion, when I misheard her say the phrase 'what are' as 'water'. I was super parched because we'd been sailing all day, so I just went and drank the cup right then, before Alister could."

Annabeth brought her hand to her face, staring at Percie with a look of sunned sympathy. "Is.. that right?" she murmured.

Percie shrugged. "I was thirteen; impulsiveness was my go-to strategy. Anyway, the sight of me turning into a rodent must have broken whatever magic spell Circe was casting on Alister, because he snapped back to his senses and used some of those vitamins to turn everyone back. I'm pretty sure if Circe was a mortal, that incident would have taken at least twenty years off her life."

The elevator came to a full stop, and the doors pinged open. "Looks like our floor," Percie observed, stepping out. Annabeth followed her with slow steps, the story she'd just heard apparently being harder to digest than she had been expecting.

The women found themselves in a spacious lobby, decorated with green tapestries and light blue furniture. An empty desk stood to the left side of the room, with a dimmed out sign reading "The manager will be along shortly" plastered over the only other door in the room.

"Do we wait for the manager, or make our own entrance?" Percie asked, Riptide finding its way into her hand. "I don't want to seem rude, but showing hospitality to a kidnapper isn't something my mother spent time teaching me to practice."

Annabeth smirked. "Then after you, rule breaker."

Percie strutted up to the door, reaching out, when a voice cut in.

"Pardon! Pardon!" a male voice chorused, from under the desk. "A thousand apologies, my loves. I'll be with you in just a moment. As soon as I finish sorting out these tickets here."

A shuffling sound was followed by a cabinet being closed, and the voice that had spoken rose up from behind the desk. The man was vibrant, and clean-shaven. Strawberry-blonde hair curled into wisps around his head, and the T-shirt he was wearing was dangerously small for him. He leaned backwards to stretch himself out, and Percie got a pretty nice view of his very solid six-pack.

"You must be the manager, then?" she asked, having to pull her eyes back up to his face. The longer she looked at this man (boy, really; he couldn't have been more than nineteen), the more she found herself getting distracted by how darn gorgeous he was.

If the wide-eyed look Annabeth was giving was any indication, she wasn't the only thrown for a loop by this guy's beauty.

Meanwhile, he nodded at Percie's question. "Yes, I am! Sorry about the wait, dears. You'd be surprised how many parking tickets manage to find their way to this office, even though we're under the surface of the earth. Can I get you anything before I take your names down? A glass of water, perhaps?"

Percie would happily accept anything from this looker, but the mention of water reminded her of why they were here. "Oh, no thank you. We're just here to see Circe, is all."

"Ah, the mistress of magic herself. Very good, very good," he chirped, brining out a massive notebook and flipping to the C section. "Let's see.. Circe... here we are! It looks like you two are her VIP appointment of the day, actually. How wonderful! I can show you to her now, if you like."

Percie nudged Annabeth, knocking the daughter of Athena out of her stupor. "That would... be great, thank you," Annabeth mumbled, averting her eyes from the man's very... robust shoulders. Wow, this was hard.

"Lovely! Follow me, ladies," he warbled, opening the door across the room and motioning for them to come along. Percie led the way, having to bite her tongue to keep her eyes from trailing down his back to his rear. Oh sweet Aphrodite, he was wearing the tightest pair of skinny jeans she'd ever seen. In an exertion of willpower Percie did not know she had, the daughter of Poseidon did not get hypnotized by the swaying of his hips. She just needed to keep her eyes on the back of his head.

The young man stopped as he lead them through the hallway, pausing at an automated water bottle. "Are you sure you two don't require anything for a refreshment?" he asked.

"No, I'm good; Annabeth?" Percie said, her face scrunched together.

"I'll pass," she heard the other demigod squeak behind her.

"No problem; guess I'll help myself," he shrugged, fetching a small plastic cup and pressing the bottle's handle. What happened next was either a tragedy or a glorious event, depending on how you saw the situation. The water bottle malfunctioned, missing the cup and spraying a blast of liquid all over the guy's shirt. 

"Oh, dear. I thought I fixed this last time I came through here," the young man muttered, placing his cup down on the fountain. "Now I'm gonna have to change."

He wasn't going to... no. Not now. Percie's brain started screaming at her to close her eyes, before he did what she knew was coming next. But her gods-forsaken eyes refused to listen. They needed to see. 

With a grace Percie had never seen a guy pull off before, the man stripped himself to the waist up, tossing his soaked T-shirt onto a table in the hallway. The daughter of Poseidon felt her mind melt as she raked in the eye candy. She'd seen handsome men before. Alister was a shining example, above all others. With this guy, of course. He looked exactly like one of those Renaissance statues of a Greek god; flawless muscles, perfect skin, and the precise combination of strength and sensitivity.

"T- B- M...," Percie fumbled for words as the man brushed spare water droplets off his pectorals. Behind her, she heard Annabeth start inhaling with gusto.

"My apologies, loves," he cadenced, turning to them with a repentant look in his eyes. Percie felt a desire to take this muscular young man into her arms and soothe him. He hadn't offended her in any way. No, he was perfect like this. In fact, he never had to put on a shirt around her again.

"Get ahold of yourself, woman!" a voice in her head shouted at her. "We came here to save Will and Nico, not ogle the pretty manager."

Oh, couldn't she do both?

"No! Get back to the topic at hand. Now!"

The daughter of Poseidon sighed, then found her words again. "No problem. You were showing us to Circe, yes?"

He nodded. "Correct. Let us resume."

As he turned back around, the young man made a spinning motion with his hand. A water jug materialized in his grip, and he sipped from it, a pleased grin spreading over his face as he tasted the contents. "Perfect," he whispered.

Annabeth put a hand to Percie's shoulder as they all began moving again. "I think I know who this guy is," she breathed into her ear.

"Some child of Aphrodite, is he?" Percie guessed.

"No. This is Ganymede, once Prince of Troy."

The name wasn't familiar to her. "There were a lot of princes of Troy, Annabeth. Anything else special about him?"

The daughter of Athena looked grave. "Yes, much more. Ganymede was considered so beautiful, he captured the attention of Zeus himself."

"Wait, Zeus got infatuated with another guy for once?"

"Yeah. I mean, you did see him, right?"

A shudder ran through her body as she looked back at Ganymede's flawless form. "Yeah, okay. I get how that could happen. So what transpired after Zeus got interested?"

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "He did what he did best; resorted to kidnapping. He paid Ganymede's father with the best horses he could find, and made the boy immortal. Ganymede became the cupbearer for the gods, as well as Zeus's lover."

Percie winced. "Let me guess: Hera wasn't amused."

"Of course not. To Ganymede's credit, he managed to win over every other god on Olympus, though I'm pretty sure most of that was because of his looks. Anyway, when Hera finally had enough, she couldn't just kill or curse the young man. He had too many friends. So, Zeus made him a constellation, so he could always look on his old lover in the sky."

A constellation... the focus on water... the materializing cup. "Wait, Ganymede became Aquarius?" Percie choked out.

"The water-bearer; yes," Annabeth confirmed. "What I don't get is why he's here, of all places. Circe despises men, so why would she hire one as her secretary and manager?"

Percie's eye went to Ganymede as he led them. "Maybe Philadelphia's economy is in a rough spot right now, and Circe can't be choosy about who she takes on?"

"Let's hope that's the case. I don't like the implications behind other possible answers."

Ganymede glanced over his shoulder, noticing the two demigods trailing behind him. "Hurry up, dears. I'd hate for you to be late to your appointment on my account," he flounced, beckoning for them to speed up. Percie felt her face grow hot as she caught up to him, following him down another string of corridors and down a flight of stairs.

"Is Circe renting this space out from anyone?" the daughter of Poseidon asked.

"I'm sure she is, but the mistress of magic is infuriatingly tight-lipped about her connections not related to her business here," he answered. "Really, I can't believe she closed that lovely location down in the Sea of Monsters. Sure, the local population tended to devour any possible guests before they made it to her island, but the ones that did were always so happy to stay. I told Io that we should have combined into a joint-venture to buy out Circe, but she refused. That's why I'm here, now. I refuse to let opportunity pass me by again."

Percie shot Annabeth a quizzical look, earning a frown from the daughter of Athena. She clearly didn't buy Ganymede's explanation, in the slightest. Percie couldn't blame her. Ganymede seemed like too much of a ditz to ever prioritize business sense over his water-bearing duties.

The constellation personified didn't seem to register the look the two women shared, only prattling on about his plans for Circe's island: something involving frozen yogurt and go-karting. Percie stopped fully listening once he mentioned trigonometry; that was too boring, even when told by a gorgeous immortal.

She didn't realize he'd stopped until she ran face-first into his bare back. "Apologies, my dear. I should have warned you," he said, standing off to the side. "The mistress will be with you shortly in there." He pointed to a double-wide set of steel doors, located at the far end of the hall. "Do be careful in there, my doves. She brought some awfully rude young fellows along with her yesterday, and to my knowledge, they're still in there. I'd hate for them to cause you an unpleasant time."

Nico and Will. It had to be them Ganymede was referring to. At least they had both still been alive when Circe came back. "Thank you, Ganymede," Percie nodded at him.

A new look appeared on the young man's face for a moment. "Ah, yes. I forget... I have more than one name. Aquarius... was not my first."

The immortal's face melded into a mask of pain before he smiled again. "Do have a good time, ladies. Should you wish to schedule another appointment down the road, feel free to stop by my desk in the lobby and set it up. I enjoyed your company."

Ganymede bowed and left, taking a pretty long swig from his water jug as he left. Perhaps it was just Percie's imagination, but she would swore she saw him glare down at the cask in contempt before he turned the corner.

Annabeth didn't mention anything about it, though, so Percie pushed it away to the back of her mind. The daughter of Athena pulled her sword, giving Percie a cautious look. "We can't afford to be as reckless as we were with the dracanae. Circe is no pushover."

"I know. And we can't afford to jeopardize Nico or Will either," Percie seconded, palming Riptide. "So how do we want to do this?"

"She knows it's just the two of us. If just you walk in there, she's going to immediatly know something's up," Annabeth rambled to herself. "She's got us in a bind; we can't utilize any sort of ambush or trick here."

"Frontal assault's the only option, then?" Percie asked.

"Guess so."

The daughter of Athena didn't look very pleased with that outcome. Percie put a hand to her arm. "Hey, we've faced her before. We've faced a lot worse alone. Circe might be a threat, but she doesn't have what we have with each other." Gods, that sounded corny, but it was the best the daughter of the sea could muster on the fly. Public speaker she was not.

Annabeth placed her own hand over Percie's, squeezing it. "I know, Seaweed Brain. All right. Let's go rescue our friends."

The steel doors slid open with a nasty hissing sound as the two demigods approached. Oh, so they were expected. Lovely. The parting doors revealed what seemed to be an underground warehouse. Wired mesh separated the space into several dozen smaller pens, all of whom were crowded by many unhappy animals.

"Good to see Circe hasn't changed too much," Percie remarked, walking past an enclosure of whining goats. Many of them bleated at her in warning, knocking their heads against the wire. "A woman with dark hair and bad taste in eye shadow did this to you, didn't she?" she asked the animals.

Percie didn't know goats could look shocked, but all of these did at her question, before they began kicking up a fuss in affirmation. The daughter of Poseidon nodded in understanding. "Yeah, she turned me into a guinea pig once. Don't worry; we can get you guys back to normal, too."

The goats bayed in response, backing up from the wire. Annabeth leaned in. "Percie, I don't have any of those multivitamins from Hermes this time. How do you expect to change them back?"

"No idea, but we can't just leave them like this, Annabeth. If Circe is defeated here, who's going to feed them? Ganymede?"

The daughter of Athena grumbled something Percie couldn't hear, but didn't raise an objection. The two demigods continued on, weaving through more and more squealing animals until they reached the end of the room.

The pens gave way to a mock stage-setup, where a familiar foe was arranging some flowers alongside a silver throne fashioned to a miniature barn. Circe didn't speak when she saw the two women, only affixing them with a satisfied smirk before lounging into the chair.

"Where are they?" Annabeth asked point-blank. Nice. Percie was a fan of that method.

The sorceress batted her eyelashes in feigned ignorance. "Where is who, dear? Please don't play the pronoun game with me. It'll take forever for the conversation to get anywhere if none of us know who we're talking about."

"My friends; the ones you went and snatched up on the banks of the Delaware," Percie informed her. "Two boys; opposite to each other in almost every way, but cute as all get out."

"Hmmm...," Circe pretended to think for a moment, before slapping herself. "Oh, yes! Tootsies and Nevermore! I know exactly who you mean. Although, isn't it a bit of a stretch to call them 'your' friends, daughter of the ocean?" she purred.

Percie had to swallow her growing frustration. "No, it's not. We've been through more than you could ever comprehend, even if it wasn't in the traditional way."

"Oh, my. My sister told me how very much alike I should expect you to be, but this is almost scary," the sorceress teased. "Percy always had such reckless loyalty to his friends; it's refreshing to see it in you as well, dear."

Annabeth fidgeted at her words. "Your sister? Who? And how did she know Percy had been switched out with her?"

"You mean the answer hasn't already come to you, daughter of wisdom? I must say, I expected more from you, Annabeth. The truth is lying right under your nose, yet you remain unable to recognize it."

Percie jutted Riptide out at Circe. "Enough talk! We asked you a question: Where are they?"

The goddess made an annoyed sound with her lips, clapping her hands together. The barn structure she had been working on expanded, unfolding its walls until the whole thing was a flat foundation. The walls of the room shuddered as the floor gave way, two slots opening up from below them.

Percie watched as those two slots widened, and bright, bulbous orbs emerged from them, shining with pale blue light. Circe snapped her fingers, and the light faded out. Percie and Annabeth both had to hold back gasps as they saw what, or who, was trapped in them.

To the right, in the orb nearest Percie, was the unconscious form of Will Solace. The healer was crumpled into the fetal position, his breathing faint. In the other, to Annabeth's side of the room, was Nico di Angelo, though the son of Hades seemed to have his wits about him. He was crouched in the orb, but even from this distance, Percie could see his eyes burning with anger as he stared at Circe. His gaze drifted to the orb his boyfriend was slumped in, and that anger multiplied.

Nico must have screamed, but no sound pierced the orb's magic. A dark energy completely insulated the demigod, but the orb did not react. Circe cocked her head, making a pouty expression. "He's going to get himself killed, trying to escape from that. Couldn't even be bothered to learn from his partner's mistakes."

Percie stared back at Circe in apprehension. "His... mistakes?"

"Oh, yes. Dear Tootsies over there spent every last ounce of himself trying to break out of my spell. Unfortunately for him, that orb of mine comes with a nasty little side effect: it takes any magic or powers a demigod might try to use, and turns it back on them. I confess, Nevermore up there is much hardier than I would have anticipated. Anybody else probably would have at least passed out by now, but he's been trying every other minute, feels like. No matter. It'll catch up to him, eventually."

Annabeth shuddered next to Percie. "Why.... why take them? Why lure Percie here? For... this?"

Circe sneered. "For a reckoning, my dears. And that's all you'll ever know of this. Because I intend to put an end to Percie Jackson here. Permanently."

It would have been a great time for a clever retort. And normally, clever retorts were one of Percie's strongest disciplines. But the sight of the son of Apollo, laying there helpless, and the son of Hades furiously trying to break his bonds, despite the pain the magic was inflicting on him... Percie's wit died on her tongue. As did Annabeth's. The two demigods didn't have to coordinate, or exchange a look. The next plan of action was a given.

They charged.


	15. A Toll, A Conference, And A Betrayal

"So, what are the odds we get shot out of the air before anyone checks to see who we are first?" Percy asked, leaning over the side of the chariot to get a better view of the San Francisco suburbs passing underneath them. The Oakland Hills, where Camp Jupiter was nestled away, were visible over the skyline, but the son of Poseidon had been fired at enough over the course of his life. He didn't want Alister to have to force them into a crash-landing because some cohort got too trigger-happy.

"Oh, come on!" Calico neighed from the harness. "First the sand demons, then those snobby college kids, and finally nervous Romans? Is someone playing the world's most dangerous game of bingo with us? Because they're about to win big."

Janice, in answer to Percy's question, grimaced, though most of that seemed to come from the fact that she still had a desk lamp sticking out of her back. "I'm confident Rey made sure to tell the cohorts that you guys were expected. Or Faith did, of course. They won't shoot at us before they at least get an idea of who we are."

"How very nice of them," Alister scoffed. "At any rate, we should be there in a few minutes. Any idea where we can drop him off?" he asked, pointing at Peter. The son of Aphrodite was curled up on the floor of the chariot, snoring away. "I'd hate to jostle him awake just so we can get introductions finished."

The daughter of Jupiter thought about it. "Rey could probably take him in, if we asked him to. Other than that, I'm sure Hayden would be glad to share with Peter."

Hearing the two other demigods discuss the rest of the Seven, Percy couldn't help feeling a little left out. It was a dumb feeling, sure, but he couldn't shake the sensation that until he finally got to meet his friends' counterparts himself, he'd only have unfamiliar names to help him along.

"Don't forget Lea," the son of Athena pointed out. "If anyone could make room for Peter, it would be her. Which reminds me: I still need to strangle her for disappearing like that after the fight with Gaea. You know I haven't actually seen her since she sent that message from Camp Half-Blood."

Janice snickered. "I would have loved to have been in the room to see your face. What emotion hit you the hardest: relief, or anger?"

"Hermes swears it was a sight he could only describe as pathetic tears, but I have no idea what he's talking about," Alister dismissed. "The nerve of him! I got sent that message right in the middle of scoping out the extension he wanted on his temple, and that's how he repays my hard work? With slander?"

"Admit it; you missed Lea just as much as the rest of us."

Alister sighed. "Yes, I did. Despite my better judgment. And the fact that she had to go and get herself possessed by an eidolon just in time to bomb Camp Jupiter at the worst possible moment. Hey, that's two things I can strangle her for!"

"Then I guess I better stop talking, before I end up giving you more reasons to throttle my best friend," Janice joked. Her words lingered in the air, and the daughter of Jupiter suddenly seemed to be remembering something painful. "My... best friend," she murmured.

Percy knelt down next to her. "Janice?"

"It's... nothing. Nothing worth bringing up now, anyway."

The son of Poseidon would have been blind if he didn't notice that Janice cast a very deliberate look in Peter's direction, before turning back to him. "Well, we should be getting close to the camp's borders by now. Guess that means we should be expecting an unwelcome guest soon."

Percy winced as he realized who she was talking about. Gods, did he ever have anything important to do other than interrupt demigods on vital business? Like decorate someone's parlor? Oh, well. As long as Terminus didn't show himself in some dramatic explosion, the meeting could be slightly tolerable.

That possibility vanished as the pegasi were forced to come to a blazing halt right there in the sky, thanks to a dramatic explosion popping off right in front of them. Percy turned on his heel, coming face to stone with the god of boundaries. "Hey, Terminus. Long time no see, cinderblock."

The god had materialized himself right onto the chariot, leading to some very weary squawking coming from the two pegasi. Apparently Roman gods didn't qualify as a carry-on when it came to flying chariots. Terminus's stone face leered at Percy, his lips curling into a frown. "Oh, how lucky for me. Another insolent Greek," he complained, shifting to look at Alister. "Honestly. Between you two, and that irritating daughter of Hephaestus, I've heard enough rock-related puns to last me for the rest of time."

Janice grinned at him from her spot. "Hey there, Terminus. Great to see you. I take it one of the praetors told you about us arriving at some point?"

"Oh, and it's Ms. Grace as well. This must be Juno's idea of a joke," he scorned. "Yes, Ms. Zhang informed me of the... situation, as much as she could seemingly grasp. I take it this provocative green-eyed punk is the one who's taken the place of Ms. Jackson?"

"Punk?" Percy echoed, only to be ignored by everyone else.

"Then you'll let us through?" Alister questioned, his foot tapping against the chariot's floor with impatience.

"Yes, against my better judgment," the god grumbled. "However, just because you yourselves have permission to enter doesn't mean I still can't confiscate your weapons in the city limits."

Percy moaned. "Oh, come on! I feel like we've all done this song and dance before."

"Then you should know by now that song and dance is defined by its patterns, and it's those patterns that keep our society from collapsing," Terminus spat back.

"Didn't stop the first Rome from falling apart," Alister muttered.

Terminus went red, despite still being a stone statue of a head. "Why does everyone always bring that up?! One time! We fall apart one time, and suddenly no one stops to remember all the great things you did! No, now it's just 'lesson in giving away too much power' and 'mob rule never goes well'. I'll have you know it took more than 1,000 years for us to collapse! Most modern empires can barely make it 250."

"Yes, yes, all enrapturing," Percy derided. "Can we go now, or is there any other way you can inconvenience us further?"

The god launched into a tirade of profanity, most of which the son of Poseidon couldn't make out due to the fact that he was speaking Latin. Janice only looked amused, and Alister's scowl grew wider and wider until the deity finally finished. Peter didn't stir.

"All done?" the son of Athena inquired. "Good. Now let's get to camp."

The stone statue faded away, and the two pegasi breathed audible gasps of relief as the weight they were towing lighted significantly. Alister turned and cracked the reins without another word, guiding them towards Camp Jupiter, which had just become visible over a collection of hills.

"Trigger any memories, Jackson?" Janice asked Percy as they started to descend.

"Both good and terrifying ones," he confessed, swallowing down his nerves. "Any idea who'll be expecting us, Alister?"

"Chiron was on call with Rey and Faith while we were still at Camp Half-Blood, and I'm sure they've filled in Lea and Hayden. Nicola and Willamina will be here, but I don't know if Hayden saw fit to tell his sister anything without more information at hand," the son of Athena speculated. "I'd expect them to hold off telling anyone else, though. Last thing anybody needs is a panic in the Senate."

No one shot at them as they concluded their descent into the camp, which was heartening. Alister put them down at Temple Hill, away from any potential wandering eyes in the city. Percy shook Peter awake as gently as he could, the son of Aphrodite stammering a few sleepy denials before he blinked his eyes open. 

"Either we made it, or we're being attacked by some ugly abomination," he guessed.

"First one."

"Thanks the gods," Peter said, sitting up. "I really didn't want to have to step in and save your sorry hides again twice in one day."

The son of Poseidon guffawed to himself. "I'm glad we're able to hold you back before you single-handedly conquer the world, Peter."

While Percy was waking Peter, Alister offered a hand to Janice. The daughter of Jupiter accepted it to haul herself to a standing position, but waved the son of Athena off when he went to help her walk. "It's just a little impaling; I can walk it off."

"Impalement is usually not one of the go-to's for building character, Janice," Alister argued.

"Since when have I ever been someone to use a go-to for anything?" she shot back, staggering over to Peter and Percy. "Come on. Let's not spend all our time here bickering when there's reunions to be had."

The daughter of Jupiter insisted on leading the way, which just gave the boys a really uncomfortable view of the lamp sticking out of her back as they walked towards the Senate House. "Most of the cohorts should be out in the Field of Mars this time of the day, running drills, so we should be fine heading there," Janice observed, gritting her teeth as her injury continued to bounce with every step.

"Will you at least go to the healers once we meet up with the others?" Peter asked her.

She paused for a moment. "Fine, but only if you find a place to get caught up on your sleep as well. Two hours isn't gonna cut it for me."

"You cut plenty of things; you can't make an exception for me?"

"You're not in a good position to broker with me for exceptions, Peter," Janice responded, her voice hardening. That was the signal to shut up. She wouldn't hear any more argument from the son of Aphrodite. Peter must have got the message, because he clammed up.

Percy bit his bottom lip, tempted to say something, but Alister nudged him with his shoulder, shaking his head at the son of Poseidon. Now was not a good time to play counselor to the former couple. Not when Janice was injured, and Peter was exhausted.

The quartet shuffled along after Janice, who led them up to the Senate House without any more conversation. As they crested the hill the building rested on, Percy got a good look at the Forums and Circus Maximus. Despite how busy Janice had talked the camp into being, neither one of them seemed to be showing signs of activity. Sure, maybe most of the Romans were at the Field of Mars, but shouldn't there have been at least a few folks milling about?

On reaching the top of the hill, the demigods were met, again, by a very irate looking Terminus, who looked expectantly at the weapons hanging to their sides. Percy wagered the god was trying to hold his hands out to confiscate them, but his lack of limbs made the process a lot less obvious than he might have anticipated. No one wanted to argue with the god, though, so they complied. Terminus gave them all a satisfied nod before he vanished, along with their armaments. Percy rolled his eyes, wondering if Terminus would notice when Riptide popped back into its owner's pocket.

"Here we are," Janice announced as they stepped up on to the steps of the Senate. "If I know Rey, he's got everyone involved in there waiting on us. Let's not keep them in suspense any longer."

They entered, Percy catching himself holding his breath as they did so. Was it ever going to get any easier, telling people their friend had vanished and now they got to deal with him? He was getting tired of that anxious look that always cropped up in their eye, that doubt that the man in front of them could really be the hero they'd gotten used to. He was the last in line, and must have been lagging, because Peter stopped to glance back at him.

"Having second thoughts, Percy?" he asked.

"No... just trying to steel myself before I go in there and ruin everyone's day."

Peter arched an eyebrow. "I think you might be overestimating yourself there. How exactly are you the one responsible for ruining anything?"

"Because-," Percy's voice locked down as he tried to explain it. "Because... I'm the one Lamia attacked. The one she wanted. And the one who ended up causing her spell to go wild. Can we really say that I didn't have some sort of hand in this?"

The son of Aphrodite crossed his arms. "If you want to blame yourself, go ahead. But will blaming yourself make you feel any better?" he challenged.

Percy's mind faltered. "Uh... no, I guess."

"Then why do it? Did you know what kind of magic Lamia was using when she tried to kill you?"

"No."

"Did you have the slightest idea what might happen if her spell succeeded, or failed?"

"No."

Peter made an exaggerated gesture. "Then how could you bare any blame for this? Lamia tried to kill you; the fact that she ended up doing something else is not something we can wipe off on your shoulders. You're here, and while you're not who anyone was expecting, you're someone everyone in there needs right now."

"They need me?" Percy whispered, stunned.

"Yes," Peter repeated, stepping in front of him. "You... are Percie. Your existence here keeps their hope alive. Do you have any idea how devastated all of us would be if we lost her? Do you have any idea how... broken... Alister would be right now without you here?"

Percy's mind flashbacked to Alister's state when he came storming into the Big House, right after he'd met Chiron. The son of Athena was a ball of nerves, pacing and ranting in equal measure. All he knew was that Percie was missing. That simple scenario had him desperate. Nothing else was needed. That... was exactly how he'd imagined Annabeth reacted when she met Percie for the first time. 

The son of Athena might have been focused in their flight here, but Percy had seen plenty of his better moments. Those moments... the only reason he'd been able to keep that up was because Percy's presence gave him hope. Hope that she might be returned to him. That same hope was the hope he could offer everyone in that building right now.

"Thank you, Peter," Percy mumbled, shaking off his doubts. 

"I don't need to be thanked," he said back, giving Percy a half-smile. "Your being here gives me hope, too. Just don't die on us; I'd have to pull an Orpheus, and dive down into the Underworld to bring you back."

"Is that a joke?"

"You tell me, son of Poseidon," Peter remarked, turning around and walking in.

Percy followed him in, letting the son of love's reassurances calm him. He hoped he'd been joking. Gods, if he wasn't... Percy didn't want a development like that hanging over his head. Aphrodite would kill him. After cursing him to fall in love with the ugliest creature she could think of.

The Senate House was just as impressive as Percy remembered it. The lack of senators made the place feel a lot more welcoming, as welcoming as granite and stone could be, anyway. Alister and Janice were standing off the center of the room, the daughter of Jupiter doing her best to keep herself as still as possible to prevent aggravation of her wound. A younger man was fussing around her, his gait matched only by the worry he was displaying for her. The dark skin and cinnamon brown hair marked him as Hazel's counterpart, Hayden.

Alister was engaged in a three-way conversation with two demigods wearing the signature purple capes of the praetors. No extra points for Percy guessing who they were: The guy, standing tall and rigid, was an easy match for Reyna. The woman shared a similar build to him, but gave off less of an intimidating aura, and more of an approachable vibe. That had to be Faith, Frank's equal.

The conversation quieted as Percy entered with Peter. Hayden paused in his efforts to glance up at the son of Poseidon before he returned his focus to Janice's injury. The daughter of Jupiter had to make a pushing motion with her hands to make the son of Pluto cease his action.

He rejoined the others, Rey and Faith making eye contact with one another as Percy approached them. The praetors might not have spoken, but Percy knew enough of his fellow heroes to deduce that they weren't thrilled by this confirmation of what they'd heard from Chiron.

"Isn't it nice, getting the gang back together again?" Peter asked, stopping next to Alister.

The son of Athena sucked in a breath. "We're technically still missing Lea, Peter."

"She's not missing; she's just helping out the Third Legion," Hayden offered. "They wanted to try out a new idea in the war games, and when Lea caught wind that their idea involved a giant mech-suit, she wouldn't be persuaded to drop the issue unless they allowed her to try out some of her own designs for it."

Faith made a pained expression. "If we hear any pitched screaming from the fields, Lea said not to worry about it. That just makes me worry more."

Rey swept his eyes around the circle of demigods. "We can worry about Lea and her inventions some other time. There's a more pressing issue standing right in front of us, unless we'd like to turn the conversation to discussing Janice's stamp collection?" The son of Bellona waited for anyone to raise support for the second option. When he got none, he nodded. "Excellent. Now, before we resume-"

He turned to Janice. "Grace, get yourself down to the healers and get that thing removed. Now."

"Rey, this is by no means the worst thing I've ev-"

"No objections, Janice. Since you've resigned as praetor, I'm perfectly within my right to order you somewhere when you're here in camp," Rey announced, tilting his head towards Faith." Unless, of course, my cohort feels differently on the subject."

The daughter of Mars shook her head. "No, he's right, Janice. You might think you can tough it out, but that lamp could have punctured something we can't see. Go see a healer. I'm sure one of us will fill you in later."

Janice made a face. "Technically, I'm a member of Camp Half-Blood now; your orders are more like suggestions."

Rey's head snapped back to her, his expression a mask of authority. Percy held his breath as the praetor stared the daughter of Jupiter down, before the son of Bellona's eyes softened. "Then as your friend. Please, go see a healer. I don't want to be worrying about you while we're trying to solve this problem."

Janice's face lowered. "Rey... I-", she tried to say.

"No. You don't need to say it. Just go. Please."

The daughter of Jupiter left without any more arguments. Rey didn't speak again until he was sure she'd left. "Now, Chiron told Faith and I what he could. Mind if I ask for the full story myself?"

It was becoming routine at this point, Percy recounting his life story to everyone he met. The assembled demigods all held their tongues during the telling, the only interruptions coming from Alister or Peter to fill their sides of the tale. The son of Poseidon finished with Demosthenes' attack on the McLean beach house, that morning.

"Why is it every time something crops up, it's because of those Doors of Death?" Hayden asked. His face scrunched up as he realized what he was saying. "Yes, I know I'm only here because of that fiasco, but it's still worth mentioning. How did some ancient demigod make his way through and stay out of sight for so long?"

"Demosthenes is called the Genius for a reason," Alister answered. "He was Athena's favorite, for a while. Never let himself be hampered by tradition, or rules. Always found a way around them. It wouldn't surprise me if he guessed that the Doors of Death would pop open at some point, and planned accordingly."

"And now he's hunting Percy, because he holds him responsible for the threat we're now facing," Faith said, catching on. "That's just what we need: an assault on two fronts."

"Two fronts?" Percy questioned.

"Demosthenes, and Lamia," Rey explained. "One a powerful sorceress, the other a formidable strategist. Both are gunning for you, in this world and your dreams."

"The borders of Camp Jupiter could hold Demosthenes back, at least," Hayden suggested. "Powerful or not, he's still just a demigod. A Greek one, to be exact. He wouldn't be able to enter without our permission, right?"

Percy wished that was the case. "A hopeful idea, but not one I think will work, Hayden," he countered. "Demosthenes was a very accomplished general in his day; he won't be afraid to launch an assault on the camp if he feels it necessary."

"An assault would require an army," Peter reasoned. "Where would he get one from?"

"The same place I imagine he got the two frat guys you turned against each other. I'm sure he's got some friends, hiding away somewhere."

Rey folded his hands together. "Even if that is the case, this time of the year is the best time for us to repel an assault. We've got numbers, and high spirits. Besides, if such a threat really exists, the safest place I can think of for Percy would be behind all of the legions."

"No."

Percy hardly recognized his own voice as he spoke. The entire circle of demigods stared at him as he continued. "I will not hide behind the lives of the demigods here. Demosthenes wants me. Not them. If he comes for me, I don't want anyone stepping in and getting hurt on my behalf. This is my problem to fix; I won't let anyone else sacrifice themselves for me ever again."

Rey's eyes widened. "Percy, I understand your apprehension, but the legionnaires will accept that they may be called to-"

"No, you don't understand, Rey!" Percy interrupted, stepping up to the praetor. "Too many people have died for me already! For some reason, they felt like my survival was the better alternative to everything else. I selfishly ignored the weight of that before; no longer. I will not allow anyone else to die because they wanted to save me."

Alister put a hand to his shoulder. "Seaweed Brain, we know how much it hurts to think about, but consider our options: If we lose you, we lose everything. What, do you think we don't value you as highly as you value us? Why would you assume we would be able to move on if you died because we didn't do everything we could to protect you?"

"It's not negotiable, Alister," Percy answered, averting his gaze from the son of Athena. "And I will make sure it stays that way."

"How?"

"All of you will swear to it. On the Styx. Not to sacrifice yourselves, or anyone else, for me."

All of the demigods shared incredulous looks with each other. "You've got to be kidding me," Faith exclaimed, putting a hand to her chest. "You'd have us swear on that?"

"Yes. I would."

Peter put his hands to his hips. "And what exactly will you do if we don't, Percy? You can't make us swear to something that insane."

Percy breathed. "You're right. I can't make you. But if you don't, I will leave Camp Jupiter. Of my own volition."

Hayden blinked. "Percy... you would do that? That would be suicide! Demosthenes and Lamia aren't the only ones hunting you."

"That's the idea. Those are the arrangements of this. Either you all swear on the Styx right here, or I walk out where I won't be a danger to any of you."

Alister's face darkened. "Are you... blackmailing us?"

"... Yes."

The word left his lips so easily. That's what he was doing. The pain he'd felt when he had to leave Bob and Damasen behind... he'd never let himself feel it again. He'd never let that guilt eat at his soul while he still lived.

"You all swear, right here, or I walk out of this camp, and never come back," Percy reiterated.

He locked eyes with Rey, his shoulders tense. He didn't break the eye contact he established. The praetor needed to know just how serious he was. "Are... you absolutely sure this is how you want to play it, Percy Jackson?" the son of Bellona asked him.

The silence that followed was his answer. Rey's mouth twisted into a grimace, before he shut his eyes with the slightest of nods. "Very well. I swear, on the Styx, not to sacrifice anyone for your sake. Myself included."

Percy's eyes shifted to Faith. The other praetor gulped, then exhaled. "I swear... as well."

Then Hayden. The son of Pluto looked betrayed, but Percy was stalwart. "If it will keep you here... then fine. I swear."

Peter was next. A look of disappointment filled the son of Aphrodite's eyes, but the son of Poseidon didn't budge. "If you're so eager to throw yourself away for us... who am I to stop you?" he dejected. "Have it your way. I swear, too."

That left only one here in this room.

Alister's eyes were vacant as Percy met his gaze. His lips trembled, and his breathing had become haphazard. "You would really make me do this?" the son of Athena asked, his voice barely audible. "After losing you... over and over again... you'd do that... to me?"

Percy's heart felt like it was being stabbed with every word Alister said, but he couldn't back down now. Alister's promise was the most vital one. He wouldn't be able to survive if Annabeth died for him. It was on this swear his entire gambit stood.

The son of Athena began visibly shaking as he tried to form the words. His hands, once resting against his back, now fiddled with his hair, the fingers quaking. Alister's gaze went all over the room, seeking some kind of reprieve. He found none. He was forced to look Percy in the eye once more.

How long they all stood there waiting, Percy didn't know. He didn't care. He would stand here all day if it meant he could ensure these demigods would be safe. They had put so much on the line already, even if it wasn't for him. He would not be another burden to them.

All he needed... was one more.

Alister shuddered, then suddenly went rigid. His eyes locked onto Percy's, and for the first time since he'd met Alister, the son of Poseidon felt like Athena herself was staring at him.

"Fuck you, Percy Jackson," he spat. 

Then the son of wisdom turned around, marched to the door, and left.


	16. Playing With Power

A pro-tip for all you demigods out there: charging an immortal sorceress with no game plan beyond that is probably the least effective thing you could possibly do as an attack strategy. But in Percie's defense, she was riled up. She had no idea what Annabeth's excuse was going to be, though. If Athena ever got wind of this, the goddess of tactics was going to sit both girls down and give them a dressing-down the likes of which they'd never experienced before. Assuming they lived through this fight, of course.

Percie and Annabeth had only closed the distance to Circe by about two feet before the magic-user vanished into mist. Not one to be deterred, Percie swiped through the blue vapors Circe had left in her wake with Riptide, praying to Ares that she managed to hit something. The daughter of Poseidon wanted her enemy not only incapacitated; she wanted her to hurt. Big-time.

Sadly, Ares was not in a sporting mood. Or he was busy canoodling with Aphrodite. Either way, Riptide went right through Circe's mist-form without so much as a sign that Percie had even struck.

Swearing to herself, Percie spun on her heel, Annabeth coming to her side. With the sorceress now in a much less corporeal form, both demigods were forced to play defensive. "Seriously? I thought you wanted to fight; not play keep-away," Percie taunted, earning a hollow laugh from Circe.

"This is fighting, you little whelp," the sorceress whispered through the air, the blue mist coiling together near the ceiling of the room. "I'm simply taking the precautions my sister should have taken if she wanted to avoid exactly this happening."

"More mentions of your sister," Annabeth gleaned. "Assuming this is the same one you mentioned earlier, then she's the one responsible for the switch-up of the Percys?"

Even though she was mist, Percie would have sworn she sensed Circe roll her eyes. "Ten points for putting together the obvious, daughter of wisdom. Your boyfriend might be a doltish buffoon, but even he had the sense to take an opportunity when he saw it. I intend to give you no such advantage."

The mist the goddess was hiding within sizzled with magic, then illuminated. Percie hit the deck, as did Annabeth. A pulse of sparks went soaring over their heads, right into the wall, leaving behind a scorch-mark the size of a door. Circe didn't let up, shifting in the air. The daughter of Poseidon rolled off the makeshift stage as the opposing ends of the structure lifted into the air, flattening together, then coming towards the middle at high speed. Annabeth thankfully followed her lead, escaping the impromptu bear trap right before it snapped them in half.

"You can only dodge for so long, my sweets," Circe mocked from her little bubble of safety. "I admit, your trick with the sunscreen did irritate me, but I don't need fire to squash the likes of you."

"Oh, will you please shut up?" Annabeth snapped, her legs launching her off the ground towards her opponent. The daughter of Athena braced her sword against her arm before chopping at Circe's form, shimmering in the blue light she'd summoned. Her blade just bounced right off once she got within a foot, though, and Annabeth had to tuck into a backwards roll to avoid breaking her neck on the hard concrete floor of the warehouse.

Not a very reassuring sight, but Percie knew the sorceress had a valid point; you couldn't win a battle by dodging. The problem was, how were they supposed to get through Circe's defenses without getting smashed flat by one of her spells?

The daughter of Poseidon briefly considered the sand dollar her dad had given her the night before; he'd promised he'd answer any call for aid she made. All she needed was a water source... oh, by the Twelve! She'd refused Ganymede's offer of a cup of water earlier! Why did she do that?

Making a mental note to kick herself later, Percie had to act. Now. Just as Circe was gearing up for another shot at Annabeth, who'd rolled right into the side of a chicken coop, the daughter of the sea grabbed a piece of the collapsible barn the sorceress had been working on. Slicing the flat piece of wood into a sharpened end with Riptide, she whistled at the sorceress.

Gods bless her, Circe fell for it. The goddess turned an annoyed gaze towards Percie just in time for the demigod to hurl the homemade javelin right at her face. Of course, falling for the oldest trick in the book didn't guarantee automatic success. The wooden weapon boinked harmlessly against an inner ring of Circe's magic, and crumbled into ash. Well, crap. She'd really hoped that would do it.

"Seriously? Did you just throw my set at me?" Circe outraged, tendrils of magic shooting at Percie. The demigod slashed at them with Riptide, striking most of them away, but one managed to get through, smacking her right in the sternum. The blow knocked Percie backwards, right into the orb Will was being kept confined in. When her back hit the magical cell, Percie felt her body seize up in pain, almost as if she'd taken two strikes from Circe back to back.

The daughter of Poseidon slumped down onto her stomach, the pain nearly causing her to fall unconscious. "I did warn you, dear: that spell takes anything you might try to do to it, and returns it twofold," Circe reminded her.

"Percie!" Annabeth cried out at the sight of her companion collapsing. The daughter of Athena once again tried attacking the sorceress, placing her sword strikes at the flashing bits of the spell Circe had crafted for herself. Each hit seemed to spark some sort of reaction, but Circe didn't seem very put off by it.

"This would be funny if it wasn't so sad," the goddess snarked, before lifting her arms into a pushing gesture. The entire spell seemed to lurch forward, right into Annabeth's front. The demigod reacted like she'd just taken a dump-truck to the face at 45 miles per hour. The force from the attack sent her flying backwards as well, this time right into an empty pen. Her momentum carried her further, over an empty water trough and section of fencing, before landing on an exposed section of barbed wire.

The daughter of Athena, quite understandably, screamed as the sharpened material cut into her skin, all over her back. To make matters even worse, some of the wire itself wound around her left arm and shoulder, effectively trapping her.

Percie saw all this from her spot on the floor near the stage, right under the orb Will was trapped in. Looking over, she could see Nico's orb finally clearing as whatever energy he'd expended faded away. The sight of the son of Hades wasn't a good one. His skin was beginning to sag, giving him a zombie-like complexion. His cheeks had hollowed out, and his eyes were unfocused.

Will didn't seem to be doing any better, even though he was out. Percie's unwanted collision with his cell hadn't only affected the daughter of Poseidon, by the looks of it. The son of Apollo was wincing in throes of agony as his orb pounded against his body. Percie tried to push herself up to a standing position, but her arms only managed to get her up to her elbows, which would have been fine for a yoga class. This, however, was a fight.

Circe looked bemused at the scene before her; pain and suffering everywhere. The goddess hovered over the room, basking in her apparent success for a moment, before gliding towards Annabeth, still pinned down by barbed wire.

"A good try, dear. But ultimately a failure, just like everything else you've ever attempted."

The daughter of Athena had murder in her eyes, but her predicament meant she couldn't stand up and face Circe again. The sorceress chuckled before brining her hands together. "I know I said I'd wipe Percie Jackson out as my first goal, but thinking it over, I've reached a different conclusion as to who I'll end first. Consider it payback for your insulting me at our last meeting on my island."

The magic around the sorceress began to pulse with fervor, and Circe smirked as the tendrils appeared again, swaying in the wind and wrapping against one another as the mist returned.

Percie tried to force her muscles to work, but they stubbornly refused to obey. She was stuck in her upwards-facing dog position. Riptide was useless like this, and there was nothing near her she could use as a makeshift weapon. 

The daughter of Poseidon turned frantic glances around the room, desperate for some way to save Annabeth from the magic blast that was sure to be coming any minute now. Water seemed like the primary choice, but she couldn't spot any sources. The room was a warehouse underground; dry and acrid. Circe had probably taken precautions to drain the whole place of any potential fluids that Percie might have been able to use against her.

Not that it really mattered. Circe's shield had proven to be indomitable against everything she and Annabeth had thrown at her. Those tendrils made for a fantastic offense and defense, and the mist swirling around the sorceress made gauging her exact location impossible... wait a minute. Mist. 

Percie remembered the elevator trap Circe had set for them. Medea's sunscreen had worked; something that seemed likely since Circe was related to Medea. The fires had been magic in nature, but were still based on nature itself, if such a thing had occurred. If Circe's magic worked like that, was it possible that the mist she'd encased herself in...? 

There was no time to second guess herself; Circe was already beginning to unclasp her hands. It was now or never.

Percie reached her hand out towards the magic in the air, and concentrated. The mist was technically fog, and all fog was water vapor. And a lot of it. She'd never tried using her hydrokinetics like this before, but it was the only way to save Annabeth. The air around Circe continued on its course, spiraling together, then stopped.

The sorceress paused to glance at her spell, confusion on her face. Percie closed her hand into a fist, thinking hot thoughts. The mist encasing Circe trembled, then began to combust. The daughter of Poseidon made sure to ignite the outer layers of the spell first, so the goddess wouldn't catch on to what was happening before it was too late.

"What in the-?" Circe sputtered as the air around her heated up. The sorceress's clothes began to smoke as the entire spell succumbed to Percie's influence, which must have finally clued her in as to what was going on. "Why, you little miscreant!"

Circe started slapping at her smoking wardrobe, the tendrils flailing in the heated air as she broke the focus of her attack on Annabeth. If she'd caught on sooner, she might have had a chance. But now that the entire spell was being manipulated, she was boxed in. The sorceress's face morphed into a veil of terror as her body ignited, her entire form going up in flames.

The goddess must not have had some of her niece's sunscreen on her, because she was left howling in torture as the scalding atmosphere she'd created around herself seared her to the bone. Percie didn't dare look away, not wanting to give her opponent a chance to escape the trap she'd discovered, but she could see Annabeth staring at her with a withered expression.

Alister's face back in Tartarus flashed to the forefront of her mind, when she'd tried to smother Akhlys. She'd allowed herself to be stopped that time; after all, misery itself could be explained as simply a part of being human, or demigod. But Circe had no such luxury. All she was was a sadistic, hate-filled witch who tortured people for fun. Would have done the very same to three of her closest friends. Percie didn't hold back. Not this time.

It took several minutes for it to end. Circe's screams died around the half-way point, but Percie was going to be sure. Not a charred atom of the sorceress remained by the time the daughter of Poseidon finally dropped her fist, letting the heat dissipate. When she did, she lowered her head to the stage, planting her forehead down onto the wood itself.

She wanted to stay there, and just let the world go on for a bit without her having to do anything, but that was not how this was going to go. Sighing, Percie was able to grab onto the silver throne Circe had first sat in and hoist herself up to a standing position. The death of the goddess must have had some sort of effect on every active spell she'd cast, because the animals that had been in the pens were no longer animals.

Men of all ages glanced uncomfortably at one another as they got up off all fours. Some looked like day laborers, or park guides. A few had a professional look about them, but the most disturbing one was the goat pen, whom Percie had assured she'd fix. The goats were now a class of schoolboys, looking around in shock in their uniforms.

"Did that just happen?" a redheaded kid asked aloud, his mouth agape.

"Yeah; don't hold your breath, I've seen weirder," Percie wheezed, stumbling over to help Annabeth. The daughter of Athena stared pointed daggers at her as she worked at freeing her from her barbed state, not saying anything. Percie returned it for a moment, then broke it off. She was not in the mood to explain herself just yet. Not when they had so much to deal with.

"Can you take these guys upstairs to Ganymede? He'll need to know his boss just got cooked; literally," was all she told Annabeth.

The daughter of Athena gave a terse nod in response, fiddling in her pocket for some ambrosia. She nibbled on it as she hobbled towards the exit, motioning for all the men to follow her. They didn't raise a fuss, though several of them threw grateful yet terrified expressions at Percie. If she had a nickel for every time that happened...

With the mortals now safe, Percie turned her attention back to the reason she'd come here in the first place: Will and Nico. The two demigods had been released from their magical captivity; Will was still crumpled over on the floor, while Nico was crouched down in a seated position, his knees pulled up to his chest. Gods. They both looked dreadful.

Since Nico was at least still semi-aware, Percie tried interacting with him first. "You okay, Nico?" she inquired, stooping down so they'd be on the same level. The son of Hades didn't so much as look at her; his whole body trembled, his eyes glassy and far away. That was all she needed to change tactics. 

Cursing her lack of healing abilities, Percie fished around for some ambrosia. She had no idea the lengths Nico had gone to to free himself before she and Annabeth arrived, so she had no clue as to how much he'd tried to counter Circe's magic. With the spell injuring him every time he tried, his wounds could be monumental. The daughter of Poseidon tried in vain to judge how much ambrosia would suffice, but finally just gave in, grabbing a handful.

"Can you at least eat some of this?" she asked, holding it in front of Nico. No answer, again. Percie had only seen Nicola like this once before: after a particularly brutal encounter with a basilisk in Memphis. The daughter of Hades had the misfortune to make eye contact with the monster, and froze in place. Basilisks had the unique ability to force anyone unlucky enough to make eye contact with them see their greatest fears all collide in their heads, and Nicola had reacted the exact same way Nico was doing now. It had taken Willamina days to coax her girlfriend back to reality.

Will. Percie had been so focused on the son of Hades, she'd forgotten the son of Apollo. Taking a moment to gauge the situation, she placed both of her hands over Nico's. The physical touch sent waves of cold surfing up her arms, but Percie held firm. Nico flinched at the touch, then went deathly still. Percie, as gently as she could, palmed the ambrosia into Nico's right hand, closing it. "I need to check on Will; just try to eat some, all right?" she whispered to him, before crossing the room.

Percie was no doctor, but she didn't have to be a child of Apollo to know the blonde demigod's condition wasn't good. His tan complexion had faded to a sickening green, and his breaths came in rattled, shaky gasps. Taking great pains not to move him too forcefully, Percie rolled him onto his back, lifting one of his eyelids. Will's eye was completely rolled up, leaving her staring at just a white orb.

"Apollo, if you want to drop in with some godly healing mojo, I won't complain," Percie murmured aloud, hoping the god would jump at the chance to help his son. No dice. The prayer went unanswered. "Fine, I'll do it myself." Trying to stay conservative with her ambrosia supply, the daughter of Poseidon broke the food into small pieces, tiny enough to swallow without chewing. Once she felt she had enough, she fed them to Will, having to tilt his head to get the unconscious demigod to swallow.

It took a few doses, but Will's pallor finally returned to a shade that was close enough to normal for Percie to relax. The son of Apollo breathed in contentment, rolling over and wrapping his arms around Percie. Oh, great. That was just what she needed now. Not one to let an awkward situation pass without her input, Percie heaved, lifting Will up over her shoulder as she stood to her feet. She'd seen Willamina do the fireman's carry move with Nicola, so at least this was an inspired decision.

To be fair, her body was still aching from the whack she'd taken in the fight mere minutes ago, and the son of Apollo wasn't exactly a lightweight. Curse those surfer-body muscles. But the daughter of Poseidon was tenacious enough to make it work.

After making sure she wouldn't topple over with her new load, Percie brought Will over to Nico. The son of Hades hadn't budged from his crouched position, but Percie noticed that the hand she'd put the ambrosia in was open. And at least a few nibbles had been taken out of it.

If she hadn't been carrying the son of Apollo, Percie would have broken into a celebratory dance. But since she was, she had to compromise for a more demure response. "Thanks, Neeks," she offered, putting a hand down to the son of Hades.

Nico started at Percie's nickname. It was something she had taken to calling Nicola in more private moments, and while the daughter of Hades never openly acknowledged it, Willamina had confided to the daughter of Poseidon that Nicola secretly appreciated the showing of friendship.

She didn't know if Percy had reached that point with Nico yet, but the use of it was enough to get Nico to at least accept her hand. She pulled him to his feet, but found the son of Hades' grip to be ironclad. That was fine with her; as long as he came along.

With one hand leading Nico, and the other keeping Will on her shoulder, Percie limped towards the exit, both boys in tow. Despite the pain flaring up in her body as she walked, Percie found herself flushed with satisfaction. No one she cared about was dead, which was a massive improvement from how a lot of quests she got involved with tended to go. She'd even slain a goddess, if they really could be killed permanently. Circe's agonized screams tried to press into her mind, but the daughter of the sea shook them out. She would not let herself feel guilty about protecting those she loved. The sorceress had made her bed; Percie just forced her to lie in it.

The answer this day had presented to her was clear: Percie Jackson was not going to pull her punches any more. Not with so much on the line.


	17. Taking One For The Team, Another To The Face

The mood in the Senate building was melancholic. 

If melancholic was even a word strong enough to describe the hanging shock that permeated through the remaining demigods there.

Hayden was the most visibly scandalized. The son of Pluto had covered the entire lower half of his face with both hands the moment Alister had cursed Percy out, and hadn't budged them since. Minutes ticked by as everyone waited in the center of the room, frozen by what they had just seen transpire. Hayden's eyes scampered to the faces of everyone assembled, like the demigod was checking to make sure he'd just witnessed what he thought he did.

Percy could relate.

His jaw was half-open, hanging in the air. If Mr. D had been here, he would have gladly pointed out that Percy looked like a fish out of water, and would have spent the next two decades congratulating himself for such clever wordplay. Alas, not even the wine god's false sense of cleverness could cheer up the son of Poseidon.

"Well...," Faith finally said, "that just happened."

"I don't think I've ever heard Alister swear like that before," Peter added, bringing a hand to his shoulder. The son of Aphrodite looked more morose than Percy had ever seen. Piper included. It might have been because the demigod, being a child of love itself, was more finely tuned to the relationships of others, but even as those thoughts fluttered through Percy's head, he felt himself deflate.

Alister hadn't promised. His idea had crashed and burned. In the worst possible manner. Everyone else in the room had sworn, and was now bound to it. But the one promise that meant the most... had fallen flat.

"Does this mean you'll be leaving, Percy?"

The question took the son of Poseidon by surprise. He turned towards it, leaving him face-to-face with Rey. The son of Bellona's face burned with passion as he awaited Percy's response.

"I... I..," Percy mumbled.

"No? Then what was the point of that? The thing we just did... was all for a bluff?"

"No, it wasn't a bluff," Percy tried to defend himself. If only his brain would stop pulsing with nerves. "I... guess I'll be leaving soon, then."

The praetor's expression ironed at his words. Rey sneered, then turned away. "Feel free to try, Jackson. We'll see how far that pride takes you." With that, the son of Bellona followed Alister out.

Peter was right behind him, shooting Percy a jaded look. The son of Aphrodite shook his head at the son of the ocean, but didn't speak. His departure left Percy alone with Faith and Hayden.

"They're never gonna let you leave, you know," Hayden remarked, finally composing himself. "The promise was only not to sacrifice anyone. That's open to a lot of loopholes."

The son of Poseidon faltered in his stance. "What can they do to make me stay?" he tried to counter, but even he didn't believe his own bravado. The three demigods who'd just stormed out of the building didn't look like they'd pull any of their punches.

Faith still took the time to answer him. "Rey might order some of the legionnaires to tie you down, and lock you in a barren room. I'm tempted to do that myself, Percy," she added, scowling. Faith might have carried over Frank's teddy-bear-like demeanor, but she could still pull off the whole normal-bear thing just fine. "Peter could always just charmspeak you into staying if you managed to get free, of course."

The daughter of Mars didn't bring up Alister, though. To be honest, Percy was grateful she didn't. However, he noticed something that might have explained why. When Faith brought up Peter's charmspeaking, both she and the son of Pluto flinched. The movement was small, so odds were good neither one of them had even realized they'd done it. 

Percy's curiosity couldn't be held back any more. "Can I ask why everyone's been so touchy around Peter?" he asked.

Faith blanched, and Hayden sucked in his cheeks. "It's... not our place to comment on it," the son of Pluto mumbled, fumbling with the collar of his shirt. "It's... not something any of us like thinking about."

"Wait, you guys know? Alister told me he didn't have all the details."

"Because he didn't," Hayden admitted. Faith widened her eyes at her boyfriend, but the shorter demigod put up his hand. "I won't tell him everything, Faith. Just... where we got involved."

The praetor didn't look very pleased with that. "Hayden, now is not the time. Not after everything that just went on in here."

"Then when? Alister and Percie will need to be told eventually; why not fill in some details now, when we have the chance?"

The daughter of Mars tensed, but kept her mouth closed. Percy could tell she had more objections to raise, but he recognized Hayden's tone. It was the same one Hazel used when she was done with the topic at hand. 

Hayden turned back to Percy, sighing. "The reason Alister wasn't told much about Peter's breakup with Janice was because he had just reunited with Percie after that mess with Juno and her Greek-Roman swap idea. Both of them, while relieved to see each other again, were more fragile than they had ever been before."

Percy got that. The first few weeks after Gaea's defeat, he and Annabeth had been literally inseparable. She'd drag him up to Olympus whenever she had architect duties to fulfill, and he had kept her within arm's reach whenever she popped in at the apartment. His mom and Paul had joked about them keeping the door open whenever she was over, but they couldn't have known how... intimate the relationship had become.

Tartarus surely had some hand in it; the weeks of being separated by camps hadn't helped matters. 

Faith cleared her throat, having given up her protestations. "When Janice told us she and Peter had broken up, we naturally asked her what had happened. She couldn't tell us exact details, either, since Peter was the one who initiated it."

Hayden nodded along. "He was tight-lipped about it when he asked him at first, too. But he did clue us in after we wouldn't drop the issue."

"And... what did he tell you?" Percy questioned, letting his words form carefully before he spoke.

The two Romans winced. "Peter... broke up with Janice because he didn't believe the love he felt for her was real," Hayden conceded. 

What?

That couldn't be right. Percy had seen how Piper and Jason acted together on the Argo. Piper would have taken a bullet for the son of Jupiter without batting an eye, and he would have done the same for her. Their relationship was no crush, or simple infatuation. It was more than love... it was unadulterated closeness. Wasn't it?

"Yeah, we couldn't believe it when he dropped that one, either," Faith said, judging Percy's reaction. "He had to slow himself down; start from the beginning, as it were."

"And how did he do that?"

Faith pulled at her cape in discomfort. "You know they didn't know each other until Janice was plopped down in front of where Camp Half-Blood was searching for you, right? Peter and Lea had false memories of their time with her planted in their heads, to fool them into ignoring such a sudden appearance. Lea believed herself to be Janice's best friend; Peter, her boyfriend. But it wasn't real."

Hayden started fiddling with his sleeves, drawing Faith's attention away from her story. The daughter of Mars stopped to put an arm around the son of Pluto, Hayden drawing into the gesture. 

"The more Peter thought about it, the more convinced he was that all of the feelings he had for Janice were born out of those false memories, plus his own mother," Hayden picked up. "Aphrodite never once, over the course of their time together, seemed to acknowledge the relationship between them with genuine seriousness. Peter concluded that she was doing everything in her power to further the romance along, for her own amusement."

Percy had a realization. "And the fact that she needed to spend so much time working keeping the romance alive... was because it wasn't real love?"

"That's what Peter thought," the son of Pluto lamented. "Don't misunderstand; he still loves Janice. Just... not in that way any more."

All of those looks made sense to Percy now. Janice's heartbroken stares, and Peter's hesitation... that was guilt. "But... why didn't anyone trust me with that? Or Alister? Or... Annabeth?"

Faith's mouth swept into a sympathetic grimace. "Remember how fragile you two were after that mess? Like us, you'd believed both Janice and Peter... or rather, Piper and Jason, were perfect for each other. But, that wasn't the case. You, just like Janice, had your memories wiped and were separated from Alister. We were worried that if you learned what actually led to the breakup, you'd begin to doubt your own relationship."

"But that's insane!" Percy argued. "Annabeth and I had real years of history behind us! No forgotten memories, or false ones, could undo that."

Hayden's chin quivered. "We hoped that was the case. But it was not a risk we were willing to take. Even if it didn't put a fracture between you two, there was always the chance it might pull some unpleasant experiences back to the surface. So, we kept the messier details a secret. Until we felt we could share them."

Percy stared at the two demigods. "Did you really have so little faith in us?" The accusation wasn't a fair one, he knew that. But his emotions got the better of him. "Were we really so pitiful that you couldn't be bothered to share knowledge like that? They're our friends, too. Not just yours."

"Don't take that tone with me, Jackson," Faith snapped, rising to her full height. Percy hadn't really registered just how imposing the daughter of Mars was, but when she fully squared up, the sight was a tall one. "We kept it to ourselves for so long because Peter asked us to. It was his story to tell, and we respected that. The only reason we're telling you now is because you didn't figure into our lives before."

"Excuse me? Did I imagine the war with Gaea, then??" Percy snarked. "I admit to being a scatterbrain most of the time, but even I can remember the giant earth mother trying to take over the world. There was a duo with me when that happened. A child of Mars, and a child of Pluto. Looked a lot like you guys. And unless I'm mistaken, I'm pretty sure someone exactly like me was here with you guys when you toppled a similar threat. So don't come at me with that 'we didn't even know you nonsense'."

"We don't have to, Percy. What you just did here in this building not ten minutes ago proved Faith's point entirely," Hayden jumped in, narrowing his eyes. "Blackmailing all of us into promising that we wouldn't try to protect you? I don't know where you got this idea that Percie Jackson was an arrogant, selfish jerk, but I can assure you she is not even one of those three things."

"Selfish?!" Percy spat. "How is making sure no one will die for you a selfish move?"

"Because Percie would have never done something like that to Alister!"

The room became quiet. Very quiet. The son of Pluto simmered with emotion as cradles of gemstones began to form around his feet. "Percie... would never hurt him like that. She'd never force him to not be there for her. She'd never do that to any of us. But. You. Did."

Percy's outburst died with a whimper. Hayden's words slammed into him, the full implications tearing away at his heart. Somewhere far away, Athena's voice chided him in his mind: "You would see the world fall away before you let a friend get hurt." But now, here he was. 

"You might have her eyes, her sword, her abilities, and her spark," Hayden finished, "but you don't have her kindness."

The son of Pluto left, the gems following him as he stepped out of the building. 

That left him alone with Faith. 

"A harsh rebuttal, but one I'm inclined to agree with," the daughter of Mars remarked, crossing her arms. "You tied our hands, Percy. You took advantage of our desire to keep you safe, and exploited it to further your own agenda. Doesn't really sound like a hero, does it?"

"I... just didn't want anyone else to die." His voice was weak. Why? It was the truth. It had been the one thing he'd tried to learn from his experiences before. The pain he'd felt, losing Bianca. The anguish at Ethan. The guilt for Bob and Damasen. They all had so much to offer the world. And it was gone; swept away, because they had the misfortune to know Percy Jackson. "You all deserve a chance; a chance that stands the best odds of occurring without me being a liability."

Faith shook her head. "Not your decision to make."

"Maybe. But it was the right decision, and I made it for you."

The praetor cocked an eye at that. "The right decision, eh? Since when does the right decision call for you to make an ass of yourself in front of everyone who cares about you? Who wants to see you returned to your rightful place? Because I'll tell you what that decision just did: it made everyone even more determined to get you back home."

Oh, come on. Why could he never get these things right? "Why do you say that?" he asked her.

Faith tilted her head. "As angry as we all are at you right now... we all know where your heart was when you made that move. The emotional blackmail certainly sours it, so don't expect any of the others to be quite as forgiving as I am right now. But Hayden wasn't being fully sincere when he told you off like that. Percie might not intentionally hurt Alister, or any of us, but she'd go down in a heartbeat if it meant saving just one friend. I know I'd do the same."

The daughter of Mars put a hand to his shoulder. "Give them all some time," she advised. "They're still mourning the loss of their own friend, after all. But they'll come around."

Guilt. It was something Percy had gotten used to feeling, especially in the last few days. It felt like every time he turned around, there was someone he barely knew pulling out all the stops to save him, or make him feel better, or just ease the difficulty of something he was trying to do. He hadn't gotten used to it. Sure, they had the connection to Percie. But to go to such lengths for someone so foreign to you... Percy doubted he'd be able to ever pay them back.

Like in this moment. Faith had just made a seeming one-eighty in her attitude. Was that forgiveness, or just her status as praetor allowing her to see the bigger picture? Her criticism felt valid. But so did her assurances. Funnily enough, she'd given him faith in the rest of the Seven, plus Rey. 

"I'm... glad you're so... you," he finally responded to her.

"Are any of us not?" she countered.

"No. No, you're all just as wonderful as you always are."

She smiled then. A warm smile, that soothed the son of Poseidon. "Then don't let my boyfriend's words eat at you too harshly. I don't think you and our Percie are the exception, then. You've got your own kindness." Faith's smile curled into more of a smirk. "Percie... can be a serious airhead, too. I think we've all wanted to strangle her at least once."

She actually made him chuckle at that. "At least give me a warning before you try choking me," he answered. "I bruise like a peach."

"Bruising means you're a survivor, Percy. I'm sure it would impress someone."

The conversation changed course when a sudden rumbling sound erupted outside. Percy might have mistaken the whole thing for an earthquake, if he wasn't the son of the god literally called 'the earth-shaker'. "Did that come from the Field of Mars?" he asked.

Faith rolled her eyes. "Yes, it did. Guess I better go make sure Lea isn't upsetting any more parents with her less-than-safe training equipment. Do yourself a favor, and never let yourself get suckered into being the test subject for her. I was scrubbing charcoal off my neck for weeks."

The praetor made for the door, but Percy followed her. "I still need to meet Lea, remember?" he pointed out. "I know she's aware of what's going on, but I still feel like we shouldn't keep her in the dark like this."

Faith bowed her head. "Fair enough. You can come with me. Just keep your head down; the games can get very... intense."

They stepped out onto the steps of the Senate Building, Faith taking a moment to get her bearings. Percy was about to ask her how she planned to get them to the Field of Mars, before he remembered what Frank did every time he went to morph into an animal. In that moment, the demigod phased out, replaced by a towering condor. She fixed Percy with pointed eyes, and before the son of Poseidon could voice his fear of flight, she lifted off with him in her talons.

"Faith, I don't like this!" he shrieked as they soared above Camp Jupiter. The condor above him ignored his pleas, increasing her speed as she flapped towards the misshapen land of the Roman war games. Percy shut his eyes, waiting for the horror ride to conclude. Facing some mechanical menace would have been preferable to this, which was actually what Frank had hinted to Percy was going on a month beforehand. Leo's name had cropped up as well, and Percy shuddered as he realized he was about to get a glimpse of the chaos firsthand.

Faith brought them down next to a makeshift tent, where two Romans in legionnaire armor were looking over a hand-drawn map of the Field. One ran off as soon they landed, leaving her friend to speak to the praetor, who shifted back to her normal form.

"Lucian. Care to explain what that noise was?" Faith questioned.

Lucian, as she had called him, looked like a cat that had gotten caught sneaking into a bird cage. His hair had been dyed pink, and he wore it in the traditional Roman style of cropped and short. Percy couldn't place a female version of him from his memories, so odds were good he'd never met the woman Lucian shared a place with.

"Praetor. I... uh... was just about to sound the alarm for a... tactical retreat," the young man blustered, clutching at a Star of David pendant at his neck. "I wasn't distracted by anything, I promise. Just... keeping an eye on the rear lines."

"I'm sure you were," Faith voiced, her tone sarcastic. "Was that eye focused on any rears in particular? Or were you indiscriminate with your leering at your fellow legionnaires?"

Lucian stammered, before trying to put on a stoic face. "Of course not. I would never lose focus on the battlefield, or in any serious situation at all. No, my mind is a love-free zone!"

Percy stepped up next to Faith, interrupting whatever the pink-haired demigod was about to boast next. 

"I- Ja...-" Lucian sputtered, his eyes raking over the son of Poseidon. "I... what I was saying?"

"Oh, nothing," Faith sighed. "Just that I needed to have a talk with Rey about your performance. Again."

"What? No! There's only so much bathroom detail I can take, praetor! Do you have any idea how disgusting the Fourth Cohort is? The things I have found in those toilets would scare the scuff marks off a tap studio's floor."

The praetor huffed, turning to Percy. "This is Lucian Asimov: son of Terpsichore, and regular pain in my neck," she introduced. "Please, whatever you do, don't indulge him. In anything."

The son of the Muse looked like he wanted to argue, but another rumbling went off, this time much closer. Percy judged that it was about fifty or so yards away, hidden away from sight by a mass of giant boulders nestled across the Field.

"The idea for this was to simulate fighting on treacherous terrain," Faith hissed, planting her feet to stop herself from falling over. "But now something's gone wrong. Like it tends to do."

"Lovely," was all Percy said, patting his pocket. Yep. Riptide had returned. Guess Terminus was currently losing his mind somewhere in the camp over it. The thought made the son of Poseidon snicker, even as the ground started shaking again.

"Lea is so going to answer for this," Faith muttered.

Percy saw why when some of the boulders cradled on the ground were lifted up, more than thirty feet in the air. Underneath them, clutching onto the giant rocks with mechanical arms, was what could only be described as what would result from Optimus Prime having a baby with the Terminator. The behemoth stood at least two stories high. Its metal skin shined in the daylight, and its limbs popped and locked with nasty noises as it lifted the boulders up. Its hands were clawed with exposed wiring, and dozens of buttons trailed down its torso and onto its legs.

Clutching to the top of its head was a small female demigod, smacking at the mech's forehead with a giant wrench. She was covered in grime, and despite the treacherousness of her situation, seemed to be having the time of her life, riding the giant robot.

"Hey, guys!" Lea yelled, pausing in her efforts to bludgeon the machine to wave at the trio of demigods watching her. "Thought this guy needed a test run. Guess I underestimated how feisty he was going to get with the Cohorts. Now, you gonna behave, Porcius? Or is Mama gonna have to take you apart?"

Porcius didn't look very hampered by his maker's threat. To be prove his independence, he chucked the boulder. Right at Percy, Faith, and Lucian.


	18. Treating Wounds

The atmosphere out in the lobby was hectic, to say the least. At least forty men of various ages crowded around the desk, all trying to get the attention of Ganymede. The immortal seemed just a tad overwhelmed by the presence of so many at the same time, but didn't lose any of his luster as he tackled problem after problem. He did find the time to grab a new shirt, though. Percie couldn't decide if she was happy with that or not.

"No sir, I'm afraid this office has no lawyer you can speak to right now," he told one man in a police uniform before jotting down a phone number in his notebook. "Did you say you needed a ride to Buffalo, or Pittsburgh, sir? I'm afraid I can't hear very well right now," Ganymede said to another, his hands moving quicker than Percie might have guessed.

The daughter of Poseidon, along with her two escorts in tow, stood in the middle of the lobby, trying to assess the situation. Annabeth had pressed herself up against the wall furthest away from the cacophony, wrapping her arms in bandages. The ambrosia she'd taken on the way up here had seemed to be effective, but the godly food needed a tad more time to fully stop the bleeding.

A slight tug at her hand snapped Percie's attention away from the daughter of Athena. Nico wasn't looking at her, but the son of Hades seemed to be indicating that he wanted to go to Annabeth. Preparing herself for whatever her companion was about to say in response to her killing Circe, Percie obliged. 

When they got close, Nico let go of her hand. Annabeth's arms came up automatically, and Nico fell into them, no words from either one necessary. They stayed like that for a moment before the daughter of wisdom glanced up at Percie, still toting Will on her shoulder. "Do I need to take him?" she asked Percie.

Not really, but Percie appreciated the offer, handing the unconscious boy to Annabeth. Will slumped over onto one of the sofas, Annabeth and Nico taking either side of him. The son of Hades maintained the quiet composure he'd stuck to so far, but did snuggle underneath Will's left arm, taking his hand. Annabeth smiled for the first time since they'd entered the warehouse, then looked back at Percie.

"I think Ganymede's gonna be a while," was all she said.

"Then it's about time I made myself known," Percie responded, stepping into the horde of jostling men and boys. Even back in their human forms, a lot of them still smelled like animals. One egregious example was a guy who seemed to be dressed for the runway, if his sleek raincoat and eye-liner were anything to go by.

"Call me old-fashioned, but getting turned into a hedgehog is not something I consider to be a normal errand!" the pretty guy proclaimed, pushing himself to the front of the crowd. "Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is, running around a pen all day?"

Ganymede shook his head in despair. "No, sir. I cannot. I offer my full apologies, of course. Had I known my employer was treating her visitors so rudely, I never would have applied for the position. May I take your name down so you may lodge a formal complaint?" the immortal offered, batting his eyes at the former hedgehog.

Pretty Boy seemed to stumble over his words as Ganymede's brilliant looks started dazzling him the same way they'd dazzled Percie when she first met him. "Um... sure. It's Adrian. Adrian Beaulieu."

The manager's eyes brightened, and he leaned over the desk, resting his chin under the back of his hand. "Adrian? What a very spectacular name. Have you by any chance been to the Adriatic Sea, your namesake?"

"Uh...no?"

Ganymede flipped over to another page in his notebook, writing with gusto. "Then say no more, sir. A man of your aura deserves to be treated to the place he was born from. Whenever you wish to see it for yourself, simply seek me out, and I'll be more than glad to accompany you."

Adrian's entire face went red, then he nodded furiously. "Of course. How may I get into contact with you... uh, I don't actually know your name either, sir."

"It's Ganymede," Percie cut in, pushing herself up to the front next to Adrian. "Don't know if there's any way to shorten that to something decent, either. Gan is too vague, and mede sounds like a beverage."

The immortal's ever-cheery façade cracked a little. "Ganymede... yes, you could call me that. But it's not really my name any more. Most people just call me Aquarius."

Adrian blinked. "Like, the astrological sign?"

"Oh, don't get me started on those dimwits!" Ganymede frothed. "First of all, Scorpio is a complete tool! He rescues a goddess once, and all of a sudden he gets to be immortal? What a douche! Gemini is another horrible example, but at least they have the decency to stick together."

Percie rapped her knuckles on the desk. "Focus, please."

"Yes, yes. My apologies for rambling. Yes, you may call me Ganymede, though I'm more used to Aquarius. When you're ready to accept my offer, just find me in the sky and call out, Mr. Beaulieu. I'll hear you."

Ganymede flashed another gorgeous smile at Adrian, causing the latter to literally swoon against Percie. His spiked hair pricked her in the side of the face, and suddenly she understood why Circe chose to turn the male model into a hedgehog.

"Am I good to bring something else to your attention now, Ganymede?" the daughter of Poseidon asked.

"Of course, my dear. How did your visit with Circe go?" he asked, innocence plastered over his face. "I must admit, it's very distressing to hear of what she did to all these fine gentlemen. I mean, I knew she already had a history of it, but you'd think she'd have learned her lesson after that mess in the Sea of Monsters. Honestly, some people need to leave the past behind."

He was rambling again. And maybe this was the hormones talking, but the more she listened, the more she believed the immortal to be completely sincere. There was no sign of sarcasm or insincerity in his voice or face; in fact, he seemed rather offended by learning what the sorceress had been up to.

"Shame she couldn't," Percie cut in. "It ended up getting her killed."

Ganymede stared in shock. "You mean.. she's dead?"

"As dead as a goddess can be, I'd say."

"I... see. That is rather troubling to hear. How am I supposed to advance my career in business if my employer is dead?"

Percie was at a loss for words at that one. "Maybe... you could try to take over right here? You seem to have a pretty good handle on the mess going on right now, especially for someone who wasn't expecting it."

Ganymede seemed to consider her proposal. "I guess it could work; all of Elysium could tell you I'm much a better boss than her, at the very least. No sick days! What kind of stick-in-the-mud enforces that kind of policy in the twenty first century?"

"Then I guess this is your chance to prove how wrong she was," Percie encouraged.

The immortal's face coiled into a pondering expression before he gave her a bright grin. "You're right! I'm the most qualified person there is to tackle this business! Before long, Io is gonna come crawling back to me, pleading for me to partner with her. But will I? No! That's what she gets for ignoring me!"

Ganymede stood up on the desk, clapping his hands to get the attention of everyone. "Gentlemen! Starting at this very moment, I am now the owner and operator all of business functions under the Liberty Bell! Please direct all of your complaints to the new manager: me!"

"But... weren't you already the manager?" one of the schoolboys asked.

"Yes, but now I'm the manager who manages the manager. Really, it's simple semantics."

The assembled men glanced at each other in confusion, but no one objected further. "Excellent!" Ganymede cried. "First, I'll need to find the appropriate attire for my new position. This boring old shirt and pants combo won't cut it! There's a lovely polo hanging up in the back room. Would anyone be willing to fetch it for me while I finish seeing to all of you?"

Adrian's hand shot up. "I'll do it."

"Yay! Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. If you're quick about it, I might even let you help me resize the buttons so I can get the fit I want."

Percie had never seen a mortal move so fast. Adrian was out of there like he was being chased by Cerberus. With that issue settled, the immortal went back to handling the myriad of complaints levelled at him by the former animals.

"Good luck," she told him, stepping away from the mosh pit that had been given new energy. Ganymede gave her a thumbs up, before dutifully listening to one man tell a very long-winded story about his time as a yak.

Annabeth rose to her feet when Percie made it back. Will still seemed out of it, but Nico at least was gaining a little color in his face. "I'd say Ganymede's got things handled here. Time to make our own exit," she said, not looking Percie in the eyes.

She was still mad about how Percie had handled Circe. The daughter of Poseidon sniffed, but didn't broach the subject. "No argument here. Does that mean we have to take the elevator of death again?"

"No; I asked Ganymede if there were any other exits the moment I got back up here, and he said we could find another stairwell back in the hallway, hidden behind the water bottle he sprayed himself with."

It sounded like a much better option than riding the hell-evator for a second time. Nico was able to walk by himself now, and bracing Will against her shoulder, Annabeth was able to use him to help her carry the son of Apollo through the hall. Percie had tried to assist, but Annabeth refused, reminding Percie that she still needed to treat herself with ambrosia before the injuries she'd taken in the fight started acting up.

That's how the daughter of Poseidon found herself munching on the godly cuisine as they climbed yet another stairwell. This one was opened by just pulling the water bottle away from its fountain, which was a lot less impressive than the piano trick Rachel had shown them at the Dare mansion. The godly food tasted just like her mom's seven-layer dip, which made Percie feel homesick. She hoped someone had at least clued Sally in when Percy had shown up in her world. Chiron probably would once he found out, but she wasn't calmed by that rationalization.

When was the last time she'd even seen her mother; hers, not Percy's. It had to have been at least a few days; Percie had been staying at the camp to make preparations for the new wave of demigods they'd been expecting. The satyrs had been busy all hours of the summer, tracking kids down and coordinating rescue attempts. The daughter of Poseidon, as a veteran of the camp and the perils of demigod life, had been invited to serve as a counselor for the incoming children. Sally had joked that it would be great practice for when her brother was born... gods, her brother.

She'd nearly forgotten: her mom was pregnant when this all happened. Oh, no. What if the shock of learning Percie was gone caused her mom to go into early labor? She might just miss the delivery all together! Or worse... what if the shock ended up triggering a miscarriage?

"Percie. Are you daydreaming down there?" Annabeth called out, looking down on the daughter of Poseidon from a full floor above her. Percie had gotten so lost in her own fears, she'd stopped walking.

Her face must have displayed some of that fear, because Annabeth visibly softened when Percie looked up at her. "Sorry. Just... got distracted," Percie stumbled, taking the steps two at a time to catch up.

About ten minutes later, the stairs ended, and turned into a door. Since Nico and Annabeth had their hands full with Will, Percie had to open it. The door swung into daylight, and on stepping through, the daughter of the sea found herself standing in what looked like a bazaar of some kind. Merchants and stalls lined the pathways, which were full of mortals walking in both directions. The other three emerged right behind her, but no one seemed to notice the tousled, wounded teens.

"Guess the Mist is keeping this door hidden," Percie inferred. "Circe wouldn't want too many uninvited guests barging into her place without seeing her manager first."

Nico flinched at the mention of the sorceress, his hands clenching into fists. Annabeth shot Percie a dirty look, then gazed around at their surroundings. "I think this is the Cherry Street Pier," she said. "An event space built on the banks of the Delaware River to be used for community events."

"Charming," Percie observed, walking along the outer edges of the crowd. "We need to get to a more open area."

The bazaar only went on for so long, opening up into a garden. The Mist meant no one saw anything worth stopping for, but a few mortals Percie passed did try to sneak a few peeks at the bandages on Annabeth's arms. Once they'd gotten back outside completely, Percie led them all around the side of the roof that covered the bazaar. 

"Time to signal our air taxi."

The daughter of Poseidon closed her eyes, reaching her thoughts out. "Blackjack, we need to go."

His answer came bouncing back a second later. "Fine and dandy. You guys still at the Bell?"

"No. The Cherry Street Pier, right outside the bazaar."

"Nice. How'd everything go?"

"We got the boys, and we're all doing okay. How long until you can meet us here?"

Blackjack paused. "Less than a minute, actually. Federal Donuts is right next to the river, where the pier is."

"Did you pay for them?"

"Of course I did! Who do you take me for, Shortstop?"

"I don't know who that is."

"Pegasus, like me, but the similarities end there. Snobby, total coward, and he actually believes that donuts are bad for pegasi! Can you even comprehend that kind of slander?"

Percie chuckled. "Sounds like a real piece of work. See you when you get here, buddy."

Blackjack's estimation wasn't off. Less than forty seconds after finishing their talk, she spotted the pegasus coming down over the bazaar. He landed with a spring in his step, and Percie spotted sprinkles stuck to his muzzle. "Philly really knows how to make a good donut, I tell you," he bleated, trotting over. His happy demeanor crashed a little as he saw how ragged everybody looked. "Um, are you sure everyone's okay?"

"We've been better," Percie admitted, "but it could have been a lot worse. How many of us can you carry without risking anything?"

The winged horse tilted his head. "Hm. Normally I'd be willing to push three, but that still leaves one of you out. Even so, I don't want to risk three people if one of them is unconscious; too many things to worry about there. And I know for a fact none of you would be willing to let him be the one who stays behind."

"No argument here. Then how about just the boys? Can you take them?"

Percie noticed Annabeth stiffen at hearing that, but ignored it. Blackjack nodded. "Yep. Anywhere specific you want me to go?"

"They had a campsite on the banks of the river. Think you could find it from the air?"

"No problem," the pegasus neighed.

"Then do that. Annabeth and I will find our way to you guys there."

Blackjack eyed his friend, then turned his gaze to the daughter of Athena. Annabeth didn't look very pleased with what she'd just heard Percie propose, but there was no way she could suggest something else without parting Nico from Will. And based on how attached the son of Hades was to the healer, separating them now would do more harm than good.

"No problems here," Annabeth murmured.

And thus it was decided. Percie helped Nico on to Blackjack first, then teamed up with Annabeth to slide Will in front of him. Nico handled his boyfriend with steady hands, a good sign. Once both demigods were situated, Percie gave the pegasus the go-ahead.

"Keep them safe, will you?" she whispered to him as he started to take off.

"If anything so much as looks at them funny, I'll bust out the judo moves," Blackjack promised, pawing at the air with his hoof.

With the boys secure, the pegasus soared off, following the Delaware as it snaked through the city, leaving the women alone with each other.

"I hope you have a plan for getting us to that campsite," Annabeth said, her voice flat.

Percie scoffed at her skepticism. "What makes you think I don't?"

"I know you, Seaweed Brain."

No arguing with that. Percie walked further along the pier, towards the center of the river. The daughter of wisdom followed her, until they came to a spot where they appeared to be in the middle of the waterway. "I think this should do," Percie commented, leaning over the side to gaze down towards the water. Annabeth came to her side, looking taken aback.

Until Percie climbed up the railing, and perched herself right over the edge. "What are you doing?" Annabeth asked, startled.

Percie rolled her eyes. "Finding the quickest way back to that camp. Now, are you coming with me, or I am gonna have to drag you into that river by force?"

Annabeth huffed at her, then grumpily pulled herself up the railing as well. "You're lucky you're a child of Poseidon," she snapped.

The wind went out of Percie's sails. "Huh. I would have called it the exact opposite."

The daughter of Athena went gray as the full implication of her sentence became obvious. "Oh, gods. Percie, you know I didn't mean it like that, right?"

"Yeah. Yeah, of course I do." Gods, Percie hoped that sounded a lot more convincing to Annabeth than it was to her. She took the daughter of wisdom by the hand, then looked down at the river. "Thanks for trusting me, at least."

Annabeth didn't respond to that, something Percie had been expecting. So, she jumped, pulling Annabeth with her. The plummet towards the water wasn't a big one, so the chances at injury weren't too bad. Even so, the daughter of Poseidon made sure to soften the surface of the water before they fell in. The river reinvigorated her, but she couldn't afford to stop and let it go to her head. Annabeth needed an air bubble. 

Making one was easy, and Percie swam them out farther upriver before breaking the surface of the water. "You are crazy," Annabeth sputtered, looking frazzled. "I know the whole underwater thing might not freak you out, but some of us might feel a little claustrophobic down there."

"That's why I wanted to come up here, so you could get your bearings," Percie threw back. "Besides, this was the best place for what I wanted to do next."

"Do next? Like what?"

Percie sank back under the water, bringing Annabeth along in another bubble. She made this one as large as she could, giving them enough room to stand up in it. "How are your wounds?" she asked the daughter of Athena.

Annabeth blinked, then shook her head. "They're fine. I took some ambrosia; just give it a few hours, and I'll be right as rain."

"They might not be getting any worse, but they could still be bleeding," Percie pointed out. "Especially after you lugged Will up those stairs. What are the odds you might have opened some of them up again?"

The daughter of Athena gestured at Percie with her bandaged arms. "Even if they did, I'm already patched up. Why stop here to ask about that?"

Was she really gonna be this difficult? Fine. "Because I saw you take that fall. The barbed wire. It didn't just catch your arms, Annabeth. It got laced all around your shoulder, and must have scratched your back up pretty seriously, too."

Annabeth opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out. She dropped a guilty look to the floor of the bubble, then turned away. So Percie had been right in her assumption. "I brought you down here in the river because that's the only place I could think of where I might be able to heal with any genuine idea of what I was doing," Percie explained. "At least let me check; if everything's good, we'll drop the issue and head up the river towards the camp."

A shocked look crossed Annabeth's face. "You want me... to undress down here?"

"Oh, please. We're both girls; besides, I just want to have a look at your back and shoulder. Nothing below the waist."

A really long pause took place before the daughter of Athena finally capitulated. "The things I do for you, Seaweed Brain," she mumbled, turning her back to Percie and taking her shirt off. Percie had to bite her lip to keep her from audibly gasping at the sight. Annabeth's back and left shoulder was lacerated beyond description; what looked like hundreds of little cuts had covered every bare inch of skin from her neck down. Most of them had stopped actively bleeding, but at least a few were fresh.

"Were you going to tell me, at all?" Percie asked.

"I didn't want to distract you from the boys," was the answer she got.

Horrified at the scene before her, the daughter of Poseidon stuck her hand outside the air bubble, coating as much of her arms as she could in water. She pulled them back in, willing the liquid to remain on her like some underwater surgical gloves. "This is probably gonna sting," she confessed, before shaking the water loose of any unwanted particles and then directing it to flow into the wounds on the demigod.

Annabeth hissed in pain as water flowed into all of the cuts, but she didn't start, or try to jerk away. Percie kept her focus on the task at hand, willing the water through the wounds with her mind as she put both hands to Annabeth's hips. "I've never done this before, so let's hope I don't screw it up," Percie added.

The daughter of Athena snickered. "Just do what you need to do, Percie. Like you always do."

That was a weighty statement. "Are you mad at me? For killing Circe, and all?"

"Why do you think I'm mad?"

"Oh, I don't know. It might be the harrowing looks, or the stony silent treatment. Or the fact that you tried to hide the fact that you were injured from me."

Annabeth winced, but Percie didn't think it was because of the treatment. "I know you said you didn't want to lose me to the darkness, Annabeth. And I know you must have been having flashbacks to Akhlys when you saw me turn Circe's magic against her."

A second wince confirmed that Percie had it right on the money. "But this was not the same," the daughter of Poseidon continued. "Akhlys had already been neutralized as a threat. I let my anger get the better of me there. But Circe was going to kill you." There was no weakness in her voice, no second-guessing. "She would have killed you, me, and the boys without even batting an eyelash. Anyone who tries that, to any of my friends, is going to be in for a bad time. And don't try denying that you'd do the same thing if the shoe was on the other foot."

Satisfied with her success, Percie pulled her hands back, withdrawing the water out of Annabeth's back. Returning it to the river, she spun the daughter of Athena back around. Now it was her turn to grasp her companion by the shoulders. "I appreciate your concern, Annabeth. More than you know. But this isn't the same. I felt horrible after nearly killing Akhlys. I feel no guilt whatsoever about what I did back there to Circe."

Something in her voice must have struck a nerve, because Annabeth's eyes darted away. But she wasn't letting up. "Anyone who harms my loved ones like that will face a similar fate. I've gained too much to lose someone else. No one at either camp would blame me for protecting you. None of the Olympians would, either. We all do what is necessary if it means saving the life of someone we care about."

"I know," Annabeth whispered. "I know that. So.. why do I still feel this way? Why am I angry at something that I know I wouldn't have done any differently?"

Percie had a potential answer come to her. "Because," she said, pulling Annabeth into an embrace, being careful not touch any of the cuts on her back, "I'm him. I'm the man you had to save from his own demons. Just as he saved you from yours. Just as I saved Alister, and he saved me. Too much about this situation is similar to things we've already endured: separation, confronting old and new foes alike, the allies we're forced to rescue. It's creating the illusion that everything we went through the first few times was for nothing."

The daughter of Poseidon took Annabeth's hand. "But that's all a lie. Everything we went through still means something. We're all different because of it. We grew; we loved; we endured. It made us who we are. And now, it's made us prepared to handle this. We will fix this, and we will be reunited with the people we care about."

Annabeth had tears coming into her eyes, both sad and happy ones, if Percie was any judge. The daughter of Athena wiped them away with her free hand, laughing to herself. "Since when were you such a powerful speaker, Seaweed Brain?" was all she asked.

"When I finally realized that I had things that needed to be said."

The other demigod sighed, then finally made eye contact again. "Okay. We're good. Anything else you want to tell me, before we get back to Nico and Will?"

"Just one, Wise Girl."

"I'm listening."

Percie smirked, then leaned in to Annabeth's ear. "You can put your shirt back on."


	19. The Bigger They Are...

It wasn't the first time Percy had had some giant monster throw a boulder at him. It was the first time, however, he'd ever seen the boulder disintegrate into powder in mid-air. The massive slab of rock only made it about ten feet before the son of Poseidon's eye tracked an arrow that slammed right into it. The arrow vaporized on contact, taking the projectile with it. 

Faith blew a tuft of hair out of her face, an elegant bow clutched in her left hand. The daughter of Mars cocked an eye at the giant mech, which somehow managed to look surprised at seeing its weapon get demolished by some tiny arrow. "Wonder how they'll fare against the metal itself," she wondered aloud, pulling another arrow and going to notch it.

Lea, still riding Porcius, put both of her hands up in a frantic gesture. "Don't you dare use those things on him, Zhang! Porcius here took more than three weeks to build, and two more weeks to filet out most of the kinks. I am not having him blown up just because he got a little cranky."

This was only a little cranky? Percy doubted that. As did Porcius, it turned out. The mech raised its clawed hands in fury, and charged the demigods, spewing steam out of his eye sockets. As the distance closed, Percy noticed that most of the robot's joints were spinning out of their stocks, and the metal that composed his body looked misshapen and warped.

"How many people have tried to calm him down?" Percy shouted up at Lea, leaping to one side as Porcius came roaring past. Faith and Lucian both took the over approach; Faith hopping onto the mech's instep and using the momentum to catapult herself above him, while Lucian assumed what looked like a ballet position before he sprung straight up, getting enough airtime for the robot to pass right under him. "Not enough, I'd guess."

The son of Terpsichore landed with a dainty step, despite looking horribly nervous. "No offense, Lea, but how are we supposed to stop him without turning him into a pile of rubble? And without him smashing us flat, come to think of it."

The daughter of Hephaestus clambered over Porcius's head, so she was standing on the back of his shoulders. "Lesson number one of building armaments, my dear Lucian: Never make something indestructible if there's a chance it might go wild on you. I made sure to include a little Achilles heel on Porcius, if you will forgive the reference."

Lea looked rather pleased with herself for that one. Percy, having taken a swim in the Styx for himself to get the blessing of the ancient warrior, did not appreciate the reminder. "And that weakness is?" he prodded at Lea, just as Porcius righted himself, facing the three demigods again.

"I just told you, you barnacle head! His Achilles' heel is literally his heel!"

Percy didn't know what was worse; the SpongeBob reference, or Lea's horrible lack of creativity. Both, however, were not as bad as the giant robot staring at him with death in its... eyes? Holes? Honestly, he couldn't even tell any more.

"Left or right heel, Lea?" Faith demanded, hand going back to her quiver. "I can make either one pretty easily."

"No, not that bow, Faith!" the daughter of the forge shouted. "You'll ruin him. Use something that doesn't totally wreck shop. Like your spear. Or your sword. Or your eyebrows."

"That doesn't answer the question!" Lucian shrieked as Porcius jutted its fingers at them. The limbs detached from the robot, turning into guided missiles that scattered as they approached the trio from all directions.

"Oh sure, now your finger-torpedoes decide to function properly!" Lea complained as Faith grabbed both boys and pulled them under her cape.

The light of the sun vanished as Percy was yanked underneath the purple garment, right up to Faith's side. The daughter of Mars looked seriously annoyed, but otherwise indifferent to what was happening. Lucian was not faring so well, despite how successful he'd been at keeping himself out of harm's way.

The son of Poseidon didn't see the projectiles strike, but he did feel them, the ground underneath rocking as Porcius's fingers slammed into the shield Faith had made with her garment. "Perks of being a praetor," was all she said, unveiling them once the explosions were over.

"Bomb-proof clothing? Have they always done that?" Percy asked.

"Only when they're needed, it seems."

Porcius looked infuriated that he'd given up his fingers for such a lackluster attack. The giant mech actually stomped his feet, like a petulant toddler who'd just been told he wasn't allowed to have any candy. "Now, now, young man. Is that any way to behave in front of people you don't know?" Lea chastised him, bonking him over the head with her wrench. Okay, now he could see why the metaphor seemed so apt.

"Lea! Left or right?" Faith reiterated.

"Right, right! The left side would have completely ruined his modifications to his flamethrower boot!"

Porcius perked up at that statement, raising his left leg in wonder. He twisted his ankle, and a massive column of fire shot out of the back of his foot. Percy would have sworn on the Styx that he saw the metal-man grin at this new weapon.

"Stop giving him tips about how to kill us!" Lucian whined, pulling a manuballista off his back. "Or at the very least, make the tips helpful to us, too! Like how to disable the flamethrower shoes?"

Lea shook her head. "Sorry. Haven't decided which flaw I want to put in those yet."

"Are you kidding me!?"

The son of Terpsichore readied his weapon, bracing it against his shoulder. "I'm going to bring down that abomination myself, just for being such an irritating fight," he continued, looking down the sights.

Faith tapped Percy on the shoulder. "Let's spin him around, then, so Lucian can get a clear shot."

"And how exactly do we intend to do that?" Percy responded, staring at the giant robot with a flamethrower on its foot.

The daughter of Mars smirked before morphing into a cheetah, sprinting at the colossus before it had time to aim its fire. Porcius swerved in an effort to stomp the praetor, but lost his footing as the feline careened between his legs, knocking him right over onto his face. Lea spilled off to the side, landing on her funny bone.

"Great Pyramid of Giza!" the daughter of Hephaestus exclaimed, grabbing at her rear. "Faith, watch where you're going when you try to pull a move like that!"

Percy didn't know cheetahs could somehow look amused, but the Roman leader pulled it off, whiskers and all. The son of Poseidon did agree that she had a decent idea, though. "Hey, bucket-head!" he called out, waving his arms at Porcius as he darted past the fallen robot. "I hear copper is in this season, so why did you go with the rustic look? That went out of fashion back when Narcissus was still somewhat tolerable."

"Excuse me?" Lea whirled on her butt, glaring at him. "I happen to be someone who's met that bloated idiot firsthand, and let me tell you, he was never tolerable! And what was that about Porcius looking rustic? He's state-of-the-art, I assure you!"

Despite how inaccurate his mockings might have been, they sure were effective. Porcius looked outraged as he rose to his feet, steam now pouring out of his ears and hips as well. He raised his left foot, and Percy was almost a demigod smore before Faith crashed into him, knocking the son of Poseidon to the side. The flames went past them, scorching the hills in its wake.

Having a one-hundred pound cat slam into your chest wasn't the best feeling in the world, so Percy hoped no one would make fun of him for being on the ground, wheezing in pain when the battle was finished. Using his left foot to shoot fire meant Porcius's right ankle was totally exposed, an opening Lucian didn't waste. Right as Faith snatched Percy away from the blast, he fired, the bolt from his crossbow smashing into metal plates on the lower end of the robot's right leg.

Porcius wobbled in a circle, his right ankle coming apart as he did so. The robot's expression was indignant, like he couldn't believe he'd just gotten outwitted by a dork with green eyes and a cat. Not to mention the dancer with the pink hair. He came crashing down with a thud, pieces of his body flying in all directions. Lea sighed, strutting up to him, wrench in hand.

"Guess you weren't quite ready yet, old boy," she lamented, prying open his chest and grabbing onto some wires that had gotten crisscrossed. With a clenched fist, the daughter of the forge incinerated the wires. Porcius's head slumped over, the light behind his eye sockets going out. "Stupid malfunction," Lea repeated, kicking at a piece of what looked like a pelvic bone. "All that work, and he didn't even get to smash up any of the cohorts."

"Not from lack of trying," Lucian argued, climbing over the fallen mech. "The Third and Fifth Cohorts went running back to the barracks, screaming at the top of their lungs about the whole thing. The Second tried to bring him down with the ballista, but someone who shall not be named-" he threw a pointed glare at Lea, "insisted that she could fix this without any more chaos needing to happen."

"And how did that go?" Faith asked, back to her normal form. The praetor seemed to be divided about whether she was entertained or outraged by the fiasco.

"Oh, it went perfectly fine!" Lea said. "No one else had to get involved until you guys showed up."

"Yeah, because everyone else ran off in terror!" Lucian snapped back.

"What, the big bad legionnaires didn't want to fight this cute little guy?" she teased, pinching the metal cheek of the deactivated robot. Percy had to bite his tongue to keep from voicing his own opinion on that take. Porcius wasn't any of those things Lea just described him as, but the son of Poseidon suspected pointing that out now would only get him on Lea's bad side. He had already taken that initiative himself with the rest of the Seven.

Thankfully, Faith's interjection meant he didn't have to worry about it. "Enough!" she bellowed, silencing the quarreling demigods. "I can't say I'm pleased all of the Cohorts ran from the battlefield, but at least no one was injured. Lea, I trust you can handle the remains of Porcius from here?"

Lea sucked in her cheeks. "It'll take a few weeks, but I can have him up and running in no time at all."

"Not really what I was asking, but fine," the daughter of Mars acknowledged. She turned to Lucian. "And you: I will not pretend to be pleased with you getting separated from your fellow soldiers because of a simple malfunction, but you did fare well when it counted."

The son of dance sheepishly pawed at his hair. "Oh, it was no big deal-"

"So I'll only assign you two days of bathroom detail. For all of the Cohorts," Faith finished.

"Oh, come on!"

The pink-haired boy tried more pleas, but Faith was having none of it. She dismissed him, and Lucian sulked off to the barracks, his giant crossbow hanging from his back. The praetor waited for him to walk out of hearing distance before she let out an audible sigh.

"This is him," she told Lea.

"I gathered as much," the daughter of Hephaestus confirmed, her gaze solidifying on Percy. Lea scraped some dirt off the front of her shirt with a rag she produced from her back pocket, then turned an unhappy eye to the mess that had been made of her creation.

"Can I leave him here for a few days, so we can sort this whole mess out?" she asked Faith, gesturing at Porcius, then Percy.

"Take all the time you need. I doubt many of the legionnaires will be salivating at the thought of fighting Porcius again, anyway."

"Good. So you'll be off to tell Rey how everything went down here?"

"Yes. Take Percy to your room, and try not to let anyone pay too much attention to him."

The daughter of Mars broke off for New Rome, while Lea pushed Percy towards the northern side of the barracks. "Rey was kind enough to lend Calypso and I one of the older barracks for our own use while we're here," she explained, keeping an eye on any demigods they passed by.

The mention of the Titaness caught Percy off-guard. "You mean, she's here in camp too?"

"Not right now, no. She got a job in San Francisco; some teaching gig, if you can believe that," the daughter of the forge answered, leading Percy to a smaller lodging house nestled away from the rest of the barracks. "She will be back sometime after dark, though, if you're interested in seeing her again."

"That's okay. Things were kinda... awkward between us, after I forgot about leaving her on Ogygia once the war with Kronos was over."

Lea sniffed, opening the door and showing him inside. The space was comfy, at least, even though a lot of it was crammed with designs and models made from various materials. "We already had that conversation, Percy. No need to reopen old wounds that have already faded away."

So Percie had also forgotten. It was a little comforting, in a way, to know that he hadn't been the only one to abandon the woman who'd helped save his life. "So, are you two still...," he asked, trying to take the conversation somewhere else.

The daughter of Hephaestus arched an eye at him. "We're living together, Aquaman. You do the math."

"Just curious. Calypso never mentioned any women washing up on her shore, so I guess I just didn't think about it."

Lea chuckled. "Yeah, I didn't either. If you'd told me I was going to be dating a three thousand year-old Titan two years ago, I would have asked what drugs you were taking, and where could I find some for myself. But... there's just something about her that has me enchanted."

The smaller demigod got a wistful look in her eye, and Percy's heart warmed a little, learning that Leo was finally feeling the same way after being forced into the third-wheel position for so long. Or seventh-wheel, if you wanted to be technical.

"So; the others shared what they could with me, but mind if I ask you? I mean, yours is the most enticing tale out there," she prodded, propping herself up on a worktable.

Percy filled her in. Lea nodded most of the way through, but cocked her head when he mentioned that Lamia was the one responsible for cursing all demigods to be hunted by monsters naturally attracted to their scent. "We never get one of the simple ones, do we?" she moaned, before shutting up to keep listening.

She didn't interrupt again, and Percy finished with the oath he'd asked everyone in the Senate building to swear to. Lea face-palmed as he finished. "How was that supposed to help anything, Percy?"

"I just wanted to-" he tried to explain.

"No! I know what you wanted! I don't blame you for wanting it, either. It's just... this is just so typical of you!" she fumed.

"Typical?"

The daughter of Hephaestus narrowed her eyes at him. "Remember what I, or I guess what Leo, said to you after telling everyone what happened on Ogygia when I was sent there? Both of us were holding serious grudges against you for forgetting about Calypso like that; if he's anything like me, he was looking forward to nursing that grudge for at least a few good years," she admitted. "But then you went and knocked the wind right out of my sails. Or Percie did, but whatever. You know what I mean. Anyway, you figured out what was going on and apologized for it, before I had any time to properly nurse my grudge."

Lea took her cap off, and bundles of brown hair fell around her face. "You wanna know something? I was actually kind of excited to have that dirt on you. All I'd heard ever since coming to camp was how great Jackson was; what a great person she was to friend and foe alike, and how capable of a warrior she had proven herself. It was kind of grating, to be honest. Then lo and behold, a lovely little hand grenade fell in my lap. Suddenly you weren't the paragon of virtue any more; you had a dark secret I could keep to myself, so no matter what praise I was forced to hear, I could always console myself with the knowledge that you were really no better than me."

Percy didn't interrupt. Despite how grave the topic seemed to be, he could tell Lea was working up to something greater. Keeping his mouth shut was the best choice here.

"But then you went and ruined it! You recognized that mistake, and apologized for it without me having to do anything," Lea continued, slapping dust off her goggles. "Just when I was ready to treat you like some regular person with flaws, you go and face up to them! It was in that moment I had to reconcile something; you really were the stand-up gal, or guy, that everyone had been making you out to be. And it was hard for me to accept that."

The daughter of Hephaestus paused, looking like she didn't know where to take her thoughts from there.

"So... what are you trying to say, Lea?" he asked her, finally breaking his silence. 

"I wanted to say... I'm sorry. For trying to make you out to be something you're not."

Percy knew Leo had felt something very similar to this about him. The son of the forge had indeed told him on the Argo some of this before. But this was different. This was... more. 

"You really shouldn't have taken those stories at face value; I really am just a normal guy," he said, trying to wave the praise off.

Lea snorted at that. "Yeah, and I'm a voluptuous daughter of Eros. How many people could do what you've done, Percy? You fought the Minotaur, Medusa, and Ares himself at the age of twelve. Traveled through the Sea of Monsters and Tartarus, coming out alive of both. Held up the sky. Traversed the Labyrinth. Fought the Titan lord of time in the flesh. Got your memories wiped by the Queen of the gods, catapulted to a hostile camp, and rose to leadership within it like nothing. Helped defeat Gaea in her bid to take over the world, and pissed off some ancient sorceress whose magic ended up teleporting you to another version of the world entirely. Most people would have spread that out over more than five years."

He had to admit it: she had a point.

"Yes, I know, but a lot of the Greek heroes did plenty of insane stuff too, all in a space of a few years. And most of them died either horrific or ironic deaths, at the end of tragic lives," he pointed out himself.

Lea frowned. "So?"

"Don't you think that's cause enough for concern?"

"If you were one of them, sure. But you're not Heracles, or Icarus, or Bellerophon. You're you, you idiot," she said, poking him in the chest. "If anyone could take this messed up situation and come out alive, it would be you and our Percie. Yes, making some of us swear not to protect you was dumb, but take it from me: Dumb can sometimes be really smart, if you think outside the box."

She said that last bit with such a goofy smile on her face, Percy couldn't help but laugh. "You don't mind if I steal that one, do you? Annabeth would get a kick out of it."

"Go ahead, but you better at least credit me in the prologue when you write it into that autobiography I know you're gonna end up doing," she teased back.

"Me? Write a book? I'd sooner see pigs fly."

"But you already have see-"

"I know," he stopped her, laughing again. "Don't remind me. A giant pink sow flying through New York is a sight I will never forget as long as I live."

A pounding at the door startled both demigods out of their reverie. Lea opened it to find some wild-eyed centurion with crispy blonde locks dangling around her face, panting. "Lea, there's something going on at the Forum you need to come handle."

"Me?" the daughter of Hephaestus asked, confused. "Why me? I'm kinda busy with something. Surely Rey would be a much better-"

"Rey's already there. He's actually a part of the thing that's happening that you need to come and put a stop to."

Now Percy was at the door as well. "What's going on?" the son of Poseidon asked, a bad feeling forming in his stomach.

The centurion couldn't hold back the anxiety in her eyes. "It's Rey and Alister. I think... I think Alister is trying to kill him."


	20. Dancing With Death On The Beach

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning: This chapter is intense. Lot of emotions, lot of hurt. Be careful if you're sensitive to that sort of thing.

Today had been a day of learning for Percie. Quite a few realizations had seen fit to smack the wayward child of Poseidon right in her gut ever since the image of the boys being abducted jolted her from her slumber and set her off on this rescue mission to Philadelphia.

For example, she'd learned that sunscreen was a vital tool for everyone to make use of, regardless of their plans for the evening. Or that charming, beautiful immortals could really be layered people, with dreams and aspirations outside their pre-determined jobs. But the biggest thing Percie was going to be taking away from today? Judo pegasi could be really, really scary.

"How do you like that?!" Blackjack snorted, popping up into the air and delivering a full-power kick to the head of the nymph who'd been unlucky enough to not get out of the way in time. The winged horse landed with grace, careening over on his heels and slamming a hoof down over the torso of another nature spirit who'd been trying to saddle him.

"I can do this all day, ladies," he bellowed, spraying sprinkles all over the river bank. Some of them landed in the hair of one of the younger nymphs, who screamed like she'd been stabbed with a hot iron.

"Oh gods, it's starting to shed!" she shrieked, diving into the river in terror. Several of her sisters followed her, now thoroughly spooked by the martial artist masquerading as a pegasus. Such an action meant they abandoned the last three of their forces: the two Blackjack had knocked out with his hooves of fury, and the only one smart enough to keep herself out of the danger zone.

The nymph swallowed as the pegasus reared at her, his legs pawing at the air. "Bring it on, you sexually-repressed newt!" he taunted, tossing his mane all over the place, a wild look in his eyes. "Come and get a taste of what ol' Blackjack is cooking!"

Percie and Annabeth were watching the shameful display from the middle of the Delaware River. The two demigods had traveled up the course of the waterway until they spotted this little confrontation happening on the shore. Blackjack had gotten Nico and Will to the camp, at least. The tent was still set up, nestled closer to the forest, and both demigods were laying in the shade provided by the trees. 

Percie had asked him to keep them safe. As weird as it was, he seemed to be doing just that.

The lone nymph, looking like she'd rather be anywhere other than facing a pegasus trained in the art of Japanese close combat, fell to her knees, putting both hands in front of her in a move that clearly said 'please don't smoosh me into the sand with your majestic body, o brave and powerful warrior'.

"Please! We just wanted to make sure they were all right," she begged. "Do you have any idea how few cute guys show up in this part of the wilderness? It's all just elderly tour groups and married middle-aged plumbers. It's not like we were gonna do anything."

"Hah! A likely story!" Blackjack thundered. "I know your tricks, she-devil. Lure them into a false sense of security with your feminine wiles, and then wham! They get made into unwitting concubines, or menial laborers."

"Uh...," the nymph trailed off, looking perturbed. "I think you might be mixing up nymphs with Amazons."

Annabeth titled her head to whisper in Percie's ear. "Do you think we should step in?" The child of wisdom couldn't understand the pegasus's half of the conversation, but she seemed to get most of it based on the tone of voice the winged horse was using.

"No, I think Blackjack has this handled," she responded. Was it the most effective way? No. Was it the most entertaining? In more ways than anyone could possibly imagine. There was no way Percie was going to barge in and ruin Blackjack's big moment to feel like a hero.

The nymph flailed her arms at her now drooling sisters. "Can I at least just take them and go? I promise I won't let any of them come back!"

"Only if you swear on the Styx," he answered her, nodding his head sagely. "Only then could I be persuaded."

Was he trying to imitate Chiron, with the whole 'noble warrior' persona he'd taken on? And since when did Blackjack know what a concubine was? Percie made a mental note to have a chat about the pegasus's Internet access if she ever had the chance to meet her counterpart face-to-face.

"Fine!" the nature spirit wisped. "I swear on the Styx to take my sisters, and leave all of you alone. We won't come back."

The deal now struck, Blackjack motioned them away with his front leg, holding his head high. The nymph fretted silently to herself as she scooped up her two injured fellows, one of whom was starting to stir, saying something about "rogue children of the hunt."

Percie and Annabeth made sure to let her abscond with her sisters, before they finally swam up to the bank, Percie using some of her heritage to keep their clothes dry. "Remind me to never challenge you to a judo match," she called out to the pegasus, who actually postured in a stereotypical 'royal' manner upon seeing the two demigods.

"Oh, you're good there, boss! I make it a rule to never use my powers too often. I'd be much too dangerous," he bragged, trotting up to her. "Speaking of powers, did you and Annabeth take your time to stop by Frangelli's and try some of their newest specials? One of the ads was promoting a 'horsepower' donut, something that sounded ridiculous to me. Who wants to drive a donut? You'd get sugar all over the place."

"Yeah... what an odd thing," Percie stated, trying to think of a good comeback that didn't involve cursing the name of Hera or Aphrodite. Only one of those two would have been insane enough to let Blackjack see something called a horsepower donut. Her wit failed her, and she just nodded. "Totally. Horrid idea."

"That's what I told the boy behind the counter. He didn't even acknowledge me! Just went right on to the next customer like it wasn't even a big deal!"

Percie needed to stop him, before he regaled her with every little thing that had gotten in his craw while he was exploring the city. "The boys; how are they?" she asked.

Blackjack faltered. "Oh, yeah. Right. Okay, I know I'm not one to judge, but that smaller kid kinda freaks me out. Smells like glue. And didn't say a single word on our way over here. I kept having to look back to make sure he hadn't fallen off."

"Glue?" she mumbled. "Oh, you mean like death?"

"For pegasi, glue is the smell of death," he answered, the look on his face making it clear he was being completely serious.

Considering what kind of shape Nico had been in after they got him out of the orb, that news didn't surprise Percie. While she had been talking to Blackjack, Annabeth had climbed up to the camp to check on the two demigods. Now looking over, she could tell the daughter of Athena didn't look very pleased with what she saw.

"Thanks for looking after them, Blackjack. Is there anywhere you can head off, but still be close by if we need your judo again?"

The winged horse saluted. "I'm sure I can find somewhere. Just give a yell if the monster-slayer needs to make a reappearance."

Oh great, now he thought he was Van Helsing. An image of Blackjack wielding a wooden stake and garlic cloves almost made Percie giggle, but then she imagined him wearing a goofy 19th century wig and frills with it, and that proved to be too much.

"Ju- ha, ha, just go.... oh, dear; PLEASE just head on," she tried to say, but her intermixed laughs must have made it a lot harder to understand.

Blackjack looked confused at his boss's apparent amusement at his new title, but didn't say anything. He clopped away, spooking a dryad who must have born witness to his fight with the nymphs earlier. The tree spirit literally jumped out of her trunk and dashed off into the woods, wailing about her fragileness. 

"Maybe I should invest in a vacation for him," Percie muttered to herself, making her way up to the tent. On getting closer, she could see why Annabeth didn't look very happy. Will still hadn't regained consciousness, despite his better state, and Nico was curled up into him, shaking.

"We can't afford to risk any more ambrosia; it's too likely to kill them at this point," Annabeth guessed, crouching down in the shade of the tent. "I don't know what else we can do at this point for them, though."

It killed the daughter of Athena to admit that she didn't know something. Her brow scrunched up and her mouth formed into the shape of an upside-down U, making her look like she'd just caught someone urinating in her cookie dough. A very bizarre comparison, yes, but Percie shuddered as she thought about what happened after Bacchus ended up crashing the reunion party for the Seven last month. His Greek form was forbidden from making wine; his Roman, no such luck. It had taken more than an hour to get Lea off the ceiling fan, and even longer to pull the spear out of... on second thought, no one needed to think about that accident ever again.

Instead, Percie knelt down next to the two boys. She leaned over the son of Hades, who's eyes were wide open, staring at Will's face. "Neeks," she breathed out, keeping her voice as relaxed as she could. Nico jerked at the nickname, then slowly turned one eye to look up at Percie.

"He needs rest. Holding on to him like that could only aggravate his condition further," she pleaded, ignoring the anger boiling behind the boy's eyes. "I promise. He'll be okay."

Why? Why did she say that? It was the exact same thing she'd said to Nicola about her brother. And everyone by now knew how that had turned out. Hearing such a similar promise, from such a similar person, must have triggered something in Nico, too. In a flash he was on his feet, towering over Percie who was still squatting down.

"Say that again," he whispered, and Percie felt chills run down her spine. She was walking on eggshells right now. 

"He. Will. Be. Okay," she reiterated, hitting every single syllable with precision. She couldn't afford to show weakness now. Even if it meant what came next had to happen.

What came next was Nico drawing his blade and swinging at the daughter of the sea, in a move so quick most people wouldn't have had time to even see it play out before it was over. But as many had come to learn too late, Percie Jackson was not most people.

The Stygian blade didn't even make it halfway into its strike before Nico was booted back, Percie thrusting her palm into his chest and rising into a defensive stance in one motion. Riptide sang in her pocket, but she didn't pull it. A small voice in her head told her that it wasn't the time to reveal that just yet.

Not to be deterred by a simple shove, Nico spun, pivoting to Percie's right side as his sword came low, aimed at her knees. She hopped backwards, letting the son of Hades overextend his reach by just a little too much. Percie swiped her foot out as she spun as well, towards Annabeth. The move tripped Nico over himself, and the demigod spilled onto the sand with an audible oomph.

"Percie!" Annabeth called out, fear in her voice. The child of wisdom went to draw her own sword, but Percie grabbed the hilt, keeping it in its scabbard. 

"No." Percie didn't dare take her eyes off Nico even as she spoke to Annabeth. The son of Hades clearly had to put a lot of effort into just standing up, his sword-arm sagging as he span to face her again. "This is my fight. It's been a long time coming, if I'm being honest."

Annabeth wasn't to be deterred, either. "He'll kill you!" she protested.

"Oh, he's trying. But he's too spent. I wager he couldn't summon a carpal bone at this point, let alone a legion of zombies," Percie responded, her eyes indicating the challenge.

Nico snarled at her, taking his weapon in both hands. He plunged the blade into the sand, closing his eyes with a shaky breath. And waited. And waited. And waited some more. Finally, his eyes popped open again, anger and aggravation and indignation all swirling in his pupil.

"Just as I thought; he's still too weak," Percie said, stepping towards him. With his gaze focused on her face, he didn't notice her palm Riptide into her left hand, keeping the pen behind her back. "Nico. You're going to hurt yourself, doing this."

"Shut up!" he spat, levelling his blade at her. "What would you know about my hurt?"

"I know that it's been the one thing you could ever count on," she answered, taking another step. "I know it's the only thing you thought could ever be relied on to not abandon you. You clung to it, for that familiarity, because it was the one thing you thought defined you as who you are. Am I close?"

Nico stepped back, without seeming to realize it. "Don't come any closer to me," he hissed, sweat now pouring down his face. Gods, Percie's heart was breaking. Was this really how bad Nicola had been the last few years? All those hurt looks she thought Percie hadn't caught... why didn't she talk to her before it got this bad?

Never again.

"It's okay to feel scared and alone. It's okay to be protective of the few good things you have. And it's okay to want to lash out," she continued, brining Riptide to her side, but not uncapping it. Percie thought of her dad, and what he would do when he stopped messing around. That sense of command, of authority. That aura that said you would not be defied any longer. "But this is not the right time. You will hurt yourself, beyond repair. Put. The. Sword. DOWN."

The last word reverbed around the whole river. Trees shifted. Small ripples expanded into quakes in the water. The entire area seem to list as the order came out of her mouth. In that moment, Percie felt more like her father's child than she had last night, when he was calming her.

The quivering scenery around him distracted Nico. His eyes finally left Percie as he stared at his surroundings, mouth dropping to a surprised gasp. It was then she finally struck. With one fluid motion, Riptide slashed upwards, catching the cross-guard of Nico's blade. It continued on its forward thrust, launching the weapon skyward. Nico's head instinctively went up to follow his airborne sword, and Percie pressed the opening. 

When he looked back down, it was to see Riptide pointed directly at his throat, hovering off the bare skin by less than an inch.

"I saved your life today, Neeks. And his," Percie said, gesturing to Will. "Please. Don't... don't do something that will take you away from him. He still needs you. I... still need you."

Percie didn't drop the authoritative tone, but she did put all of her sympathetic thoughts into her gaze. That gaze pierced right through the son of Hades, keeping him frozen in place. Percie angled Riptide so the point was no longer endangering Nico's throat, then closed the gap in between them. She didn't lower her blade until she'd made it right in front of him.

"I'm not leaving you alone again," was all she said. Riptide snicked back into a pen, and was returned to her pocket. She was completely defenseless once again.

Athena would have called her foolish. Ares would have called her soft. Artemis would have called her reckless. Hang them all, and their condemnations. What did they know of being discarded and used like some ratty handkerchief? Who cares if it got her killed? Percie would see herself skewered a thousand times over before she let anyone lay a single hand on the boy in front of her. That included herself.

Nico's mouth trembled, something she couldn't not see, being so close. The son of Hades opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't seem to find any words that would do the confrontation justice. So he did something that should have happened a long time ago.

He collapsed into her arms.

Percie let the momentum carry her down onto the sand, landing on her rear. Nico buried his head in her shirt, his entire body getting wracked by sobs. Percie thought Akhlys had set the gold standard for a breakdown. Not any more. The sounds that came out of the boy's mouth carried over the entire river bank. A few nature spirits watched from a distance, drawn in by their own curiosity. Percie didn't pay any attention to them. Her hands cradled the weeping demigod, her palms rotating in small circles on his back.

A shuffling sound on the sand behind her caught some of her focus, though. As Nico continued pressing into her, she heard Annabeth resume the crouched position she'd taken next to Will. The shifting of the sand next to her meant the son of Apollo must have finally been waking up.

"Is that-" she heard him say, trying to sit up.

"Shh. Careful. You still need to be easy about your movements," Annabeth pointed out. "But yes. It's him."

If Nico heard the conversation, he didn't acknowledge it. The sobs shifted into screams as he shook in Percie's arms, his hands grasping onto her shoulders so tightly, it was sure to leave a bruise. Did Percie pull away? No. She bundled the son of Hades even tighter in her arms, resting her head against his cheek. "It's okay. You can let it all out," she told him.

The screams rose to a fever pitch, and Percie heard Will start arguing behind her. "Annabeth, he needs me. Now."

"Yes, he needs you. But... I think he needs her right now, too. At least... he needs the person she represents."

"Represents?" the son of Apollo asked, baffled. "Just who is she, anyway?"

"We'll tell you all about it later. But for now, I think we should leave them be. You still need some looking after yourself."

"Are you telling me that you're asserting authority over me as my doctor?" the healer asked, his tone incredulous.

"Answer me honestly, Will: Are you well enough to stand up?"

The silence that followed was answer enough. "Then that's settled. I'll fill you in, with Nico. But not until you're both ready," Annabeth affirmed, her voice making it clear that was the end of it.

The son of Apollo fussed a little to himself, but he must have accepted it, since Percie didn't hear any more between the two of them. Good. That meant she could direct her full attention to Nico once more.

The son of Hades's screams didn't subside for some time. And even when they did, that wasn't the end of it. Screams became whimpers, which eventually gave way to loud silence. Silence to anyone who wasn't the daughter of Poseidon. She was still close enough to listen to the movement of his lips as they tried to make sound. 

"Don't try to force it," she said in his ear. "If it stops, let it. You can't force sadness out of you, just like you can't force happiness in. Nothing good ever comes from trying to bottle your emotions, no matter how positive or negative they are."

Nico crumpled against her, his fists finally relaxing on her skin. His breaths were raggedy, but still regular. That was a hopeful sign. At least, that was what Willamina had been saying when they finally brought Nicola back after that basilisk fight. 

"I'm not gonna break this," she murmured against him. "We'll stay here, like this, as long as you want to."

The son of the Underworld made the slightest of nods against her chest, still remaining silent. That was fine. Nothing more needed to be said. There, on that river bank, Percie finally felt like she could understand Nicola, and Nico. Could she blame herself for the tragedies that had plagued them? No.

But what she could blame herself for was how she treated them afterwards. Even though she had never pushed them away from her, that wasn't enough. She'd expected Nicola to approach her with any issue she might have crop up. What happened the last time she'd done that?

Right. Percie had grabbed her by the throat, and shoved her against a wall in the Underworld. Even after she realized who she was choking, she didn't let up. Sure, she'd just been deceived by Hades into thinking the demigod had betrayed her, but the girl was twelve. Twelve! What kind of person chokes a child and then just never apologizes for it afterwards?

"I'm sorry," she groaned between her regrets. "For not being there. When I should have been."

Nico finally spoke again, no edge in his voice at all: "You're here now."

Yes. She was. And she hoped, with all that was true within her, that that would be enough.


End file.
